Condoms Protect From HPV Infection

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Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 22 Jun 2006 - 8:00 PDT

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Using condoms reduces the risk of becoming infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV), say researchers at the University of Washington, Seattle. HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer among young sexually active females. The condoms have to be used correctly. You can read about this study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Rachel Winer, lead author, said that women can significantly lower HPV infection risk by using condoms consistently with their male partners. She stressed that the protection is not 100% and that regular screenings still play a crucial role in combating cervical cancer.

For most women HPV infection shows no symptoms and goes away without the person ever knowing. However, for some people it causes cervical cancer, a disease which kills over 300,000 women each year globally. About 50% of sexually active adults are infected with HPV.

Gardasil, a vaccine that protects from HPV infection, was approved by the FDA last month.

Condom use is better at protecting women from infection than men.

In this study the scientists tracked 82 female university students. They had had their first sexual experience with a man within two weeks before the study started Cervical and vulvovaginal samples were taken every four months, as well as Pap smears. The women were asked to keep a diary of their sexual activities.

The scientists found that women whose partners used condoms for every sexual experience had a 70% lower probability of becoming infected with HPV compared to women whose partners used condoms less than 5 percent of the time. Women whose partners used condoms for 50% of the sexual intercourses had a 50% lower chance of becoming infected with HPV, compared to women whose partners used condoms less than 5 percent of the time.

The researchers concluded that sexually active people should use condoms consistently if they do not want to become infected with HPV.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today


Copyright: Medical News Today
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