Cervarix

Cervarix protects you against HPV 16 and HPV 18, two of the high-risk HPV strains that are responsible for more than 70% of cervical cancer cases.

This vaccination is approved for girls and women from 9 to 25 years old, or as advised by your doctor.

For girls between 9 to 14 years of age, you need to take two vaccinations between 5 to 13 months apart.

Females between 15 to 25 years of age need to take three vaccinations with the second vaccination between 1 to 2.5 months after the first vaccination, and the third vaccination 5 to 13 months after the first vaccination.

Polyclinics only have the Cervarix vaccination available which costs $360 excluding consultation fees and GST. You can use Medisave to subsidise the cost of your vaccination for up to $500.

Gardasil 4

Other than protecting you against HPV 16 and HPV 18, Gardasil also vaccinates you against HPV 6 and HPV 11 which can cause genital warts and lesions.

Females between 9 to 14 years old need two injections 6 to 12 months apart, while ladies aged 15 and above require 3 vaccinations. You take the second injection 2 months after the first injection, and the third vaccination 6 months after the first one.

The cost of Gardasil varies between clinics but you can expect to pay $386 at least including GST. Gardasil 4 vaccination can be subsidised using Medisave for up to $500.

Gardasil 9

Gardasil 9 is named as such as it vaccinates you for 9 strains of HPV. These are HPV subtypes 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58​.

The vaccination schedule is the same as that of Gardasil.

At this time, you cannot use Medisave to subsidise your Gardasil 9 vaccination even though it is the most expensive.

Can Pregnant Women Get Vaccinated For HPV?

If you’re pregnant, you’re advised not to get the HPV vaccination.

If you find out that you’re pregnant after taking one or more of the vaccinations, don’t continue with the vaccinations until after the end of your pregnancy.

Let your doctor know if you’ve inadvertently taken the HPV injections while pregnant and seek his or her advice.

Can Medisave Be Used For HPV Vaccination?

Yes, you can use up to $500 of your Medisave to subsidise your Cervarix or Gardasil vaccination if you are between 9 to 26 years old.

However, Gardasil 9 injections are not eligible for the subsidy.

If you are using Medisave, you can also use the Medisave of your parents or spouse to make payment. Medisave deductible and co-payment rules are not applicable for HPV vaccinations.

Is Cervical Cancer Screening Required After HPV Vaccination?

Yes, it is.

Even though you’ve had the HPV vaccination, you are not 100% safe from cervical cancer. This is because the vaccine can reduce the risk of cancer by protecting you against 70-90% of high-risk HPV strains but not 100%.

Furthermore, if you got the vaccine after being sexually active, you might have already been exposed to a HPV infection.

There are 2 main tests for cervical cancer screening which are Pap smears and HPV tests (or HPV DNA test).

You should start going for regular screening within the first 3 years of your first sexual contact or when you are 21 years old, whichever is earlier. Ladies who are between 21 to 29 years old should get a Pap smear every 3 years. If you are between 30 to 64 years old, you should get a Pap smear and HPV test every 5 years, or a Pap smear every 3 years. Once you’re 65 years old and over, your doctor may allow you to stop going for cervical cancer screening if you have had normal results in all your previous tests. But if you’re 65 years old and you’ve never had a Pap smear, you should go for it to check that you are not at risk for cervical cancer.

The purpose of the Pap smear is to detect cell changes in your cervix. The doctor uses a speculum to widen your vagina, examine it, and swabs cells from the cervix to send to the laboratory for analysis. You might feel some discomfort or pain during your Pap smear and you should let your doctor know once you feel discomfort. As with most medical testing, Pap smears are not 100% accurate.

Don’t go for your Pap smear test if you’re having your period as the blood shed might affect your test results. Make sure you do your test at least 14 days after the start of your period. If you have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) for a non-cancerous condition, you may not need to go for regular Pap smears and you should verify this with your doctor. He or she may recommend having one Pap smear done after your hysterectomy procedure. If you had a partial hysterectomy and your cervix was not removed, or your total hysterectomy procedure was done for a cancerous or pre-cancerous condition, you will still be required to undergo regular Pap smear testing.

HPV tests, which you can start undergoing after you’re 30 years old, tests for the presence of high-risk HPV strains in your cervix.

Don’t put off your screening because early detection saves lives. Even if you have no family history of cancer, you might still be at risk of getting cervical cancer. There are no symptoms for HPV infection so you should still go for a Pap smear even if you feel healthy. If cervical cancer is found in the very early stages, the five-year survival rate is as high as 90%. However, if you only detect it when the cervical cancer has reached Stage 4 or spread to other organs, the five-year survival rate drops to 10%.

Contact us at 62351512 to find out more.