Survey suggests some women are never offered the HPV vaccine
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In a small survey study, 60% of women seeking fertility care reported receiving at least one dose of the HPV vaccine, while 50% reported that they have never been offered the vaccine by their medical providers.
Moreover, 30% of respondents expressed concern about how the vaccine may impact fertility. The survey results were presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Scientific Congress & Expo.
“HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease, affecting 85% of people in their lifetime,” Samantha L. Estevez, MD, a clinical fellow of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Mount Sinai and RMA of New York, said during a presentation. “The CDC recommends HPV vaccination in patients as young as 9 and up to 45.”
Estevez and colleagues distributed questionnaires to 62 new patients at a fertility center. The response rate was 16%. Patients provided information on their medical and reproductive history, HPV vaccination status, knowledge of the HPV vaccine, partner vaccination status and intentions to vaccinate their children.
Of the patients who responded to the survey (n = 10), 90% had heard of the HPV vaccine. The mean age of respondents who received the HPV vaccine was 35 years compared with 38 years among unvaccinated individuals. None of the respondents knew whether their partner had received the HPV vaccine, according to Estevez and colleagues.
Moreover, 70% of respondents planned on vaccinating their children against HPV, and 20% would consider it.
According to findings recently published in JAMA Network Open, the proportion of parents who refused the HPV vaccine for their adolescents due to safety concerns increased by 79.9% between 2015 and 2018. However, researchers said the rate of adverse events related to the HPV vaccine remains low and has decreased in recent years.
Despite the wide availability of the HPV vaccine, Estevez said the current survey results “highlight a lack of knowledge regarding the vaccine, concerns regarding its safety or an indifference towards its potential efficacy.”