HPV vaccine linked to fewer premature births in Australia

摘要

WIDESPREAD HPV vaccination looks to have prevented thousands of premature births in Australia. Women who have had HPV, the human papillomavirus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer, are at greater risk of having premature babies. This may be because the treatment for high-risk HPV infections involves removing affected cells from the cervix, which can prevent cancer but may sometimes affect the mechanical strength of the cervix. Australia was one of the first countries to introduce a national HPV vaccination programme in 2007, offering free school-based vaccines to girls aged 12 to 13 and a catch-up programme for women aged between 18 and 26.