Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) or what we know as HPV is a virus with more than 100 strains, divided into 2 main groups:
- Low risk types are strains that do not cause cancer.
- High risk types are strains that can cause abnormal cervical cells, eventually leading to cervical cancer.
The main cause of HPV infection is through sexual contact, making those who have had sexual intercourse before have an 80-90 percent chance of being infected with HPV at least once in their lifetime. This may or may not be a cancer-causing strain. It can also be transmitted through rough contact in the genital area or from mother to child during normal delivery, which still carries a risk of HPV infection.
3 Bedroom Facts: Does Doing These Not Risk HPV Infection?
Since HPV infection mainly originates from sexual intercourse, reducing risk through bedroom practices is something everyone should pay attention to and understand clearly as follows:
- Having only one sexual partner still carries a risk of HPV infection.
- Those who have never had sexual intercourse can still get infected (but the risk is quite low).
- Using condoms may not fully prevent infection because there can be contact with secretions in other areas as well.
Men also have a similar risk of HPV infection as women, which can lead to penile cancer or genital warts. Besides practicing safe sex, HPV testing is a method to help reduce risk and avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.
Thin Prep Pap Test: Know Before You Spread HPV
Most people infected with HPV do not know they have the virus because the infection shows no symptoms. The body’s immune system can eliminate the virus on its own, so HPV may disappear within 1-2 years. However, this good fortune does not happen to all HPV-infected individuals, as there are still cases of long-term infection leading to cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, penile cancer, oral and throat cancers, as well as other related diseases.
| When Should You Get a Thin Prep Pap Test? | |
|---|---|
| 3 years (after first sexual intercourse) | Should start testing every 1-2 years |
| Women aged 21 years and older | |
| Women aged 30 years and older | Test every year (for 3 consecutive years) |
| Women aged 70 years and older | If test results are normal for 3 consecutive years, Pap smear testing may be discontinued |
| Women who used Diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy | Test every year |
| Immunocompromised individuals | |
Thin Prep Pap Test is a cervical cancer screening method where a doctor uses an instrument inserted through the vagina to collect cells from the cervix for detailed laboratory examination. This test is often done alongside Cotest Thinprep plus HPV mRNA or Cotest Thinprep plus HPV cobas to identify the HPV strain precisely, helping doctors plan more effective treatment.
Having sexual intercourse is not wrong as it is a natural human behavior, but it should be within the bounds of safety. Regularly update your internal health before you or anyone else unknowingly becomes a carrier of the virus.
Dr. Thisara Weerasamai
Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist
Women’s Health Center, Phyathai 1 Hospital
