| HPV vaccine creates parental challenge
What they thought would be a routine physical for her volleyball team found 14-year-old Amanda Zaborowski and her mom facing a big question: Did they want Amanda to get a new vaccine that would protect her against the common and serious sexually transmitted disease HPV, or human papillomavirus?The vaccine, Amanda's doctor told them, could prevent potentially deadly cervical cancer. He also explained that the three-dose inoculation would work best if she had it well before becoming sexually active.This was a doctor that her mom, Linda Zaborowski, had trusted since Amanda was a child. She thought the vaccine sounded like a good idea. But she ultimately wanted her daughter to make the decision."If you think this is right for me, you know what's best," the high school freshman told her mom and doctor.
European Commission Approves GARDASIL(R), Merck's Cervical Cancer Vaccine
GARDASIL(R) (Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) Recombinant Vaccine), the cervical cancer vaccine from Merck & Co., Inc., has been granted a license by the European Commission. GARDASIL has been approved as the first and only vaccine in the European Union (EU) for use in children and adolescents aged 9 to 15 years and in adult females aged 16 to 26 years for the prevention of cervical cancer, high-grade cervical dysplasias/precancers (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2/3)), high-grade/precancerous vulvar dysplastic lesions (VIN 2/3) and external genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18. This license applies to the 25 countries that are members of the EU, including the five largest which are France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Pregnancy Symptoms For Mothers-to-be
Pregnancy is a natural process involving changes in a woman's body. Most women have uncomplicated pregnancies and their daily routines may not change until the last few weeks before delivery. Other women have difficult pregnancies that change their daily lives right from the start.
Most women experience emotional shifts and mood swings. It's natural to feel doubt, anxiety, and fear about pregnancy and childbirth, as well as happiness, excitement, and anticipation. Keeping a online pregnancy journal can help you keep track of your emotions. Plus, it will serve as a wonderful keepsake of your pregnancy in the years to come.
As soon as you think you might be pregnant, you should visit a pregnancy help center or clinic right away for a pregnancy test. If you are pregnant it is important to learn more about what to expect from pregnancy and how to care for yourself and your growing baby. If you smoke or drink, you should stop immediately -- tobacco and alcohol can harm your unborn child. Certain medications can also harm your child. [More about prenatal risks.]
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