Apart From Immunization, Healthy Lifestyle Can Reduce The Risk Of Exposure To The HPV Virus To Women

JAKARTA - Cervical cancer is one of the most causes of death in Indonesia related to pregnancy, which is around 250,000 deaths according to WHO data. Not only men, men can also be exposed to the HPV virus, however, it occurs a little and can attack other organs of the body such as throat cancer and cancer in the male genital area.

To prevent the incidence of cervical cancer, the government has conducted socialization with a target of 90 percent of Indonesian girls aged 15 years who have received free HPV immunizations by 2027. The public is also asked to actively seek information about HPV immunization for their daughters to reduce the risk of being exposed to the HPV virus.

In addition to immunization, a healthy lifestyle can avoid a woman being exposed to the humanpapilloma virus or HPV that causes cervical cancer.

"Good living style, good exercise, early detection and vaccination is enough to avoid a woman from cervical cancer," said specialist obstetrician and gynecologist subspecialist oncology dr. Kartiwa Hadi Nuryanto, Sp.OG(K)Onk quoted from ANTARA, Tuesday, August 6.

The doctor who practices at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital explained that cervical cancer is caused by the humanpapilloma virus which is lodged in the neck of the woman's uterus. The virus can grow into cancer if it does not undergo a healthy lifestyle such as not exercising or eating unhealthy foods.

The virus attacks immunity and can be detected only by examining the cervix through pap smear or IVA test. The doctor who graduated from the University of Indonesia also said that the HPV virus was not passed down by his family so that to prevent infection with this virus, he had to keep the feminine organs clean.

Can the toilet seat catch the HPV virus? It could be that the virus can be found anywhere and the great HPV can last for weeks. So, how to prevent it from being exposed to the HPV virus, we just try to keep it clean," Kartiwa said.

For those who are married, early detection of cervical cancer is carried out in the form of a pap smear examination or an IVA test every one to two years and the test has been borne by BPJS.