Welcome to The Center for Women’s Health at White-Wilson Medical Center. Dr. Karl Metz and Dr. David Stoneking strive to provide you with the latest, cutting edge technology in women’s health care. In doing so, we are providing a vaccine to young women to help prevent cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is a significant health problem in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006, over 9, 710 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3,700 will die from this disease. The primary cause of cervical cancer in women is HPV- Human Papillomavirus. This virus is common in the United States and around the world. HPV is spread through sexual contact and is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. It is believed that 50 percent of sexually active people will get HPV at some time in their lives. HPV is most common in young women and men who are in their late teens and early 20’s. 

For most women, the body’s own defense system will clear the virus and infected women do not develop related health problems. However, some HPV types can cause abnormal cells on the lining of the cervix that years later can turn into cancer. Other HPV Types can cause genital warts. The vaccine is effective against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers and against HPV 6 and 11, which cause approximately 90 percent of genital warts.

Ideally, females should receive the vaccine before they are sexually active. This is because the vaccine is most effective in girls/women who have not yet acquired the virus. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently licensed this vaccine for use in girls/women, ages 9-26 years. The vaccine is given in a series of injections over a six month period.

Females who are sexually active may also benefit from the vaccine. But, they may get less benefit from the vaccine since there is no way of knowing if they have been exposed to the virus.

If you would like more information on the vaccine, please contact the physicians below.

David Stoneking, M.D.
863-8264

Karl Metz, M.D.
863-8222