Get Your Child the HPV Vaccine

The Basics: Overview

All pre-teens need to get the HPV vaccine series when they are age 11 or 12.

What is HPV?

HPV (human papillomavirus) is a very common infection that can cause cancer. Nearly 80 million people in the United States have HPV. That's about 1 out of 4 Americans.

HPV infections can cause:

• Cervical cancer
• Cancer inside the vagina (vaginal cancer) or around the opening of the vagina (vulvar cancer)
• Cancer of the penis
• Cancer of the anus (anal cancer)
• Cancer of the back of the throat (oropharynx cancer)
• Warts in the genital area

The good news is that the HPV vaccine can prevent many of these health problems. Learn more about HPV.