To Vaccinate ... or NOT to Vaccinate

I was infected with HPV in my early 20's. Here I sit as a 30-year old mother of two beautiful boys. Knowing the path I have experienced with my own HPV infection, the answer should be simple, right?

Wrong.

I hear that vaccines hurt the body's natural immune system. I hear that vaccines weaken the body and make you prone to more illness. I also hear that it is better to be exposed to HPV and allow your immune system the chance to fight it off.

I also know that a lifetime of recurring HPV infections can drive a person crazy; scheduling gynecologist appointments every 6 months and experiencing panic attacks when you see that your gynecologist is calling. Is my pap positive for HPV... again?
I don't know who to believe.



According to WebMD, Gardasil is a vaccine, licensed for use in June 2006, by the FDA. It targets four strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) -- HPV-6, 11, 16, and 18. HPV-16 and HPV-18 account for about 70% of all cervical cancers. HPV-6 and -11 cause about 90% of genital warts. HPV is also linked to anal cancer. This vaccine is approved by the FDA for girls and women ages 9 to 26. The CDC also recommends the vaccine for women age 13 to 26 who did not receive the vaccine at an earlier age.

However, if a girl or woman is already infected with HPV, the vaccine will not prevent that strain of HPV from causing disease. It will protect against new infections with other strains of HPV included in the vaccine.

...Yet I still question whether or not to vaccinate my sons. I watched this amazing documentary, The Greater Good. You can watch it, too with an Amazon Prime FREE trial. This documentary explores the fear, hype and politics that polarize people into emotionally charged pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine camps with no room for middle ground. This documentary includes stories of individuals and their families, whose lives have been forever changed by vaccine choices, interwoven with interviews from leading experts in the field. This documentary is sure to re-frame the vaccine debate and offer, for the first time, the opportunity to have a rational, scientific and factual discussion on how to create a more effective vaccine program in America today.
Will you vaccinate your children? What are your thoughts about HPV vaccination?