Cervical Health
Maintaining your overall health is an important part of everyone’s life, and sexual health plays a large role in that. Today, we are specifically looking at the cervix and cervical health, and some ways you can keep yourself healthier and safer!
What is the cervix?
The cervix is the lowest part of the uterus, and attaches the uterus to the vagina. There are two different parts of the cervix; the endocervix, which acts as a kind of tunnel from the inside of the uterus and provides passage between the vagina and uterus, and the ectocervix, which is the external part of the cervix that extends into the vaginal canal. The cervix has several distinct and important physiological functions, some of which are as follows:
? Opening during labor for baby to pass through birth canal
? Protects the uterus from bacteria and external foreign objects
? Produces mucus that facilitates the entrance of sperm into the uterus
? Allows for the passage of menstrual blood from uterus through vagina
Potential risks
One of the most common risks for cervical health is HPV (Human Papillomavirus) which is the most common sexually transmitted STI in the United States. Skin-to-skin contact is one of the most common ways to spread HPV, which can happen during oral, vaginal, or anal sex. HPV can go away after a couple of years but if not, it can lead to genital warts or cervical cancer. Cervical cancer was one of the most common of cancer death for American women until the introduction of the Pap smear. The estimated statistics for 2022 are that over 14,000 cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed for the year.
Prevention and Safe measures
The best way to maintain one’s cervical health is to get regular checkups using a Pap Smear. If you are over the age of 21, it is recommended to get a pap smear once every three years. Additionally, if you contract HPV, a pap smear is recommended as well, as they can detect cancerous or precancerous cells in the cervix. Using condoms or oral barriers correctly can help reduce your risk of transmission. Although as with many other STIs, you can have HPV and not show any signs or symptoms. Many people never even know they have or had it unless they develop genital warts or have an abnormal pap smear.
The message – take care of all your parts! Sexual health is just one aspect of your overall health, but it is important to make sure you stay in the know!