For women, cervical cancer remains the main concern. It is important to understand that cervical cancer usually takes a long time to develop. This process starts when HPV infected cells in the lining of the cervix start to become abnormal. Over time, these abnormal changes become severe enough to be classified as "pre-cancerous lesions" or "dysplasias". If left untreated, these lesions may eventually turn into cancer of the cervix. It is equally important to understand that most HPV infections are cleared by a healthy immune system and even a good proportion of dysplasias will go away without treatment. Consequently, the only way to be sure that your cervix is healthy is through regular Pap smear screenings.

If you are a woman 30 years of age or older and have had three or more normal Pap tests in a row, you may safely opt to have a Pap test every two to three years.

You may have heard about HPV DNA tests. Commercially available tests usually tell you whether you have been infected with high-risk HPV types. High-risk HPV types are those HPV types that are more closely linked to cervical cancer. If you are a woman of 30 or older and opt to have this test at the same time as your Pap test and have negative results for both tests, you may safely have you next HPV or Pap test in 3 years.

If you are a young woman who has not yet had sex, you are a good candidate for HPV vaccination. Your healthcare provider can tell you if HPV vaccination is right for you.

If you have ever had sex or are already sexually active, you can reduce your risk of infection by limiting the number of sexual partners and using condoms with every sexual encounter. You may still benefit from HPV vaccination and should ask your healthcare provider about this.

Only a small proportion of HPV infections lead to pre-cancerous changes of the cervix.

The most reliable way to prevent cervical cancer is by: