HPV Vaccine Update and Influenza (Flu) Vaccine in Pregnant Women

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September 3, 2014

  1. HPV vaccine rate of injection not greatly improved.

 Recently, New York City Council speaker Melissa Mark announced through her Twitter that she has high risk HPV infection but not cervical cancer.  High risk HPV strains are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer in women.  In men, high risk HPV infection is responsible for as high as 40% of oral cancer incidences.  Each year, according to the CDC, there are 19,000 cases of HPV cancers in women, with cervical cancer being the most common.  About 8,000 cases of HPV cancers in men occur each year, with throat cancer being the most common. Since the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2006, there has been as much as a 56% reduction in incidence of HPV infection in girls from 14-19 years old (data from June 2013). 

The recent HPV vaccine statistics from the CDC, however, were troublesome.  According to the CDC update, only 33% of eligible boys and girls have received an HPV vaccination.  Below are the HPV vaccine statistics reported in 2012 and 2013 for girls and boys 13-17 years old: 

For girls: Receipt of at least one dose of HPV vaccine increased from 53.8% in 2012 to 57.3% in 2013.  

Receipt of the recommended 3 doses increased from 33.4% in 2012 to 37.6% in 2013

Rate of injections of all 3 doses was similar between white and hispanic females but lower among black adolescent females. 

For boys: Receipt of one dose of HPV vaccine increased from 20.8% in 2012 to 34.6% in 2013, a 13.8% increase 

Receipt of all 3 recommended doses increased from 6.8% in 2012 to 13.9% in 2012.

Overall, receipt of all three doses of HPV vaccine was greater among boys living below the poverty line.

As parents, we are responsible for informing and encouraging our children to get the HPV vaccine.  Prevention is always a better strategy than treatment of cancer.

 2.  All Pregnant Patients Should Get Influenza (Flu) Vaccine Regardless of Pregnancy Stage. 

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) again recommended  Influenza vaccine to all pregnant patients.  The committee on Obstetric Practice and Immunization Expert Work Group reminded the public of an increased risk for preterm labor, pneumonia and other complications in pregnant women.  As soon as the Influenza vaccine is available, the researchers encourage any woman in the preconception, pregnancy, or postpartum stage to get vaccinated.  Currently, any trivalent or quadrivalent vaccines may be used during pregnancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on immunization  Practices (ACIP) doesn’t indicate a preference for thimerosal or thimerosal free vaccine for any group of patients including pregnant patients, as there is no scientific evidence that thimerosal vaccines cause adverse effects in children born to women who received thimerosal vaccines.  Thimerosal, as you will recall, is a mercury containing preservative used in multidose vials of Influenza vaccine.

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