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Immunisation: Cervical cancer


Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

Key points to remember about the cervical cancer vaccine

  • there is now a vaccine (called GARDASIL®) that can protect young women and girls against the cause of about 70 percent of cervical cancers

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What is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus or womb, and is at the top of the vagina.
 
It's caused by a common virus called HPV or human papillomavirus that is spread through sexual contact.
 
About four out of five people have HPV infection at some time in their lives but most HPV infections clear naturally and don't develop into cervical cancer. If abnormal cells occur and go untreated, cervical cancer can result many years later.
 

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About cervical cancer immunisation

The cervical cancer or HPV Immunisation Programme, which began in September 2008, aims to reduce cervical cancer in New Zealand by protecting girls against HPV infection.
 
The vaccine being used in the New Zealand Programme is GARDASIL® which protects against the cause of about 70 percent of cervical cancers.
 
Since September 2008 family doctors, practice nurses and health clinics have been offering the free HPV vaccine to:
  • young women born in 1990 and 1991
  • younger girls who have left school
During 2009 and 2010, the free HPV vaccine will be offered:

  • through school based programmes for girls in Years 8 to 13, and
  • to girls aged 12 to 18 from their family doctor, practice nurse or health clinic
From 2011 and onwards, HPV vaccine will be offered through school programmes for Year 8 girls and to 12 year old girls from their family doctor, practice nurse or health clinic. 
 

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Where to go for more information about cervical cancer immunisation

Cervical cancer vaccine brochureHPV Immunisation Programme website (Ministry of Health / newzealandgovt.org.nz)
The HPV Immunisation Programme website for girls and young women includes the following information:
 
IMAC (Immunisation Advisory Centre)
 
Ministry of Health
Cervical cancer flipchart
Cervical cancer fact sheetThe Ministry of health website provides information on HPV5 and the HPV Immunisation Programme6. There is also a cervical cancer vaccine quick flipchart7 (far right) and a fact sheet8 (immediate right).
 
One for the Girls (an Auckland District Health Board initiative)
This website is the result of an idea to create a campaign to inform and empower girls who want to know more about HPV immunisation and what it means for them. This website was created by students at AUT (Auckland University of Technology).
 

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Links   (these are the web addresses for the numbered links in the text above)


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Endorsement

This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 07/05/2009

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Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2010


The Paediatric Society of New Zealand
http://www.paediatrics.org.nz 		Starship Foundation
http://www.starship.org.nz