HPV Vaccine...yay or nay?

[crazee4mickey]

Received permission forms home from school that they(not the school, the public health nurse) will be giving all girls in grade 6 the HPV(Human papillomavirus)vaccine free of charge in just over a week.

To be perfectly honest, what I have read I am not sure this is something I am ready to give my daughter. With the latest death of the 14 y.o. in Britain, it terrifies me!

IMO from what I have read, I just don't think there has been enough long term research on this and the fact some die frightens the life out of me. The unknown of this vaccine is stopping me from giving permission at this point. What do you think?

 

[RitaE]

That's a tough one.

If I had a young daughter, I personally would be waiting. I understand wanting to make sure the vaccination happens before sexual activity - but at this point in time I would hold off until at least High School age to make the decision. That would buy some time to get the vaccine road tested. I'm not anti-vaccination, but I don't always agree with the current recommendations on when and why certain vaccines should happen.

Unless I felt my 6th grader was having sexual activities - in that case I'd probably be freaked out over much more than just that vaccine.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You forgot other.

My oldest dd got the HPV vaccination her Sr Yr in HS.

My younger dd is in 7th grade and I will wait.

One of the side effects is feeling faint/passing out. My youngest is prone to passing (vasal vagal syncope) out so no way is she getting it right now.

Oh and the vaccination is a series of 3 shots spread apart.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

Nope no way. Too many what if's. There is no long term study for things like causing infertility, birth defects, and the side effects can be too risky IMO.

 

[omghidanielle]

I asked my OB/GYN about this a short while ago and his answer was a booming "NO"

He basically said that since this vaccine does not prevent all of the strains, it obviously isn't *really* worth it, and that it may in the long run make certain strains more aggressive or stronger.

He wouldn't let his daughter get it, and he wouldn't suggest any of his patiente get it, either.

 

[pyrxtc]

both of my girls have gotten it already over a year ago. no side effects for either one.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Our family dr was pushing this on us, and I was all prepared for my girls to get it. Then I learned of a coworker who's daughter got the shot last summer. She became severely ill, couldn't function. Missed over 100 days of school. Was taken to our Childrens Hospital and had test after test. They weren't sure that she would made it. No idea what the problem was. They finally traced it back to Gardisil.

I'm not saying that my daughters will never get this vaccine, but I want to see more years of testing. They are young, so they will still be in the window to get it for years.

 

[Duchie]

I read that the girl in the UK death was the result of a tumor and unrelated to the HPV vaccine.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-10-01-britain-death-vaccine_N.htm

 

[Minniemama350]

I don't have girls (2 boys), but if I did I would not be the first in line. Vaccines are not all bad, but as a mom of an Autistic child that is still suspicious of the old version of the MMR (that was high in mercury) I would have a hard time jumping to be first in line. This is the first year that I have even considered the flu vaccine for my kids. Study up before you decide. I don't really know anything about this one to give specific input on it.

 

[Nancy]

no..my girls are not getting it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Even if my DD is never with anyone but her husband, he will probably already have it and expose her.

I had a conversation with my Gyn about this vaccine and he told me something like 80% of the world's population male & female is infected. Most never know and males don't often have symptoms so they never see a Dr for it and spread it from female to female to female through their lifetimes. These days even old world STD's are making a comeback in new drug resistant strains so I want my DD & DS as protected as possible. I have known a few women who had to have either procedures done or removal of part of their cervix due to Cervical Cancer in their 20's due to the extremely aggressive newer strains. It is very sad when they are left unable to have children and would be even sadder if it could have been prevented. I would never want to have to explain to my DD she couldn't have a baby because of something I did or didn't do, but that is just me. No flames to anyone who disagrees with me, this is just how I see it. To each their own.

I think the vaccine has been around for a few years already so a good amount of data is available already.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Nope. No way!

 

[kacaju]

nope, I have 3 girls and I am just not ready to give this to them yet.

 

[Magic Mom]

I don't have girls (2 boys), but if I did I would not be the first in line.

Study up before you decide. I don't really know anything about this one to give specific input on it.

Its going to be availble to boys soon.

 

[AshleyW]

My PCP told me she recommended NOT getting the vaccine. She said it was mostly because I'm taking a BC pill, and both the pill and the vaccine can cause blood clots, so she didn't want my risk to be that much higher - in addition to the fact that she didn't think it had been tested enough yet.

 

[Minniemama350]

Its going to be availble to boys soon.

Not my boys.

 

[crazee4mickey]

Even if my DD is never with anyone but her husband, he will probably already have it and expose her.

I had a conversation with my Gyn about this vaccine and he told me something like 80% of the world's population male & female is infected. Most never know and males don't often have symptoms so they never see a Dr for it and spread it from female to female to female through their lifetimes. These days even old world STD's are making a comeback in new drug resistant strains so I want my DD & DS as protected as possible. I have known a few women who had to have either procedures done or removal of part of their cervix due to Cervical Cancer in their 20's due to the extremely aggressive newer strains. It is very sad when they are left unable to have children and would be even sadder if it could have been prevented. I would never want to have to explain to my DD she couldn't have a baby because of something I did or didn't do, but that is just me. No flames to anyone who disagrees with me, this is just how I see it. To each their own.

I think the vaccine has been around for a few years already so a good amount of data is available already.

No flames....
I have been where you are talking about.....

I have had cells and treatment (22 years ago), been worried that I wouldn't see my baby I had at the time grow up and that I wouldn't have any more children (had 3 after this)--but still my gut is saying no.

She is in grade 6 and not anywhere close to liking or showing interest in boys and this is the same fr all the girls in her class except one or two, so I think personally for my DD its just too soon. I've read loads of data and the benefits just aren't conclusive enough for me to think this is definately something for DD at this early age.

 

[clh2]

OK - I am having a hard time responding to this post. I have such a strong opinion on this issue.

So - I am going to take the high road in my response - and try not to offend anyone.

The decision to get this series of immunizations or not should be a decision between the girl, the parents, and the physician.

I can see where schools/states would have a vested interest in some immunizations...MMR, chicken pox, H1N1, seasonal fle etc, because those particular illnesses transfer from one person to the next through ordinary contact that can happen in the school environment (i.e. coughing, sneezing, not washing hands) etc. H1N1 and flu can be of "pandemic" proportions, so, I might be far more understanding if the school district sent something home related to that.

I still do not understand why the school district thinks they should have any input to whether or not their female students should be getting the Gardasil immunizations.

 

[Feralpeg]

My daughter got it. She suffered no ill effects from the injections.

 

[Magic Mom]

Not my boys.

I wasn't suggesting they get it, I was just commenting that it will soon be a choice for parents of boys.