Joined Nov 2003
Rep'd thegoalie lately?
Forum Thread
Am I required to disclose this information before having sex?
March 29, 2007 at
05:33 AM
in
Question
My girlfriend was informed by her gynocologist that she has the human papillomavirus, or HPV. It's impossible to tell who had it first, but I'm most likely a carrier now as well. For those of you who don't know, HPV is a virus that's said to be a prerequisite for cervical cancer in women. Men can carry the virus, but it's nearly harmless for them.
Some HPV facts from wikipedia:
Here's my question. Am I required to disclose this information before having relations with another woman? I have a feeling that everyone's kneejerk reaction will be "yes", but please consider the following. There's a huge chance that the woman already has the virus, and if she doesn't already she'll probably get it in the future*. With a condom, she probably won't get it from me anyway. With pap testing, there's a very very low risk of cancer. And quite frankly, I feel that she won't know all the facts and will think it's a bigger deal than it actually is.
Thoughts?
*Genital HPV infection is very common, with estimates suggesting that more than 50% of women will become infected with one or more of the sexually transmitted HPV types at some point during adulthood.[7]
The American Social Health Association projections in 2006 were yet more pessimistic, predicting that about 75% of the reproductive population will have been infected with genital HPV infection in their lifetime.
Some HPV facts from wikipedia:
|
Quote
:
HPV is the most common sexual transmitted infection in the United States. In the United States approximately 20-million people are currently infected with HPV about 6.2 million Americans will get infected with genital HPV this year.24.5% prevalence of HPV among females 14 to 19 years old 44.8% prevalence of HPV among females 20 to 24 years old 27.4% prevalence of HPV among females 25 to 29 years old 27.5% prevalence of HPV among females 30 to 39 years old 25.2% prevalence of HPV among females 40 to 49 years old 19.6% prevalence of HPV among females 50 to 59 years old In the absence of Pap testing or treatment, about 1% of women with genital HPV infections will eventually go on to develop cervical cancer. Women who have Pap testing or other cervical cancer screenings on a regular basis dramatically decrease their chances of developing cervical cancer. A 2006 study of 82 college students suggests that condoms can be up to 70% effective for preventing genital HPV infection if used for every sexual encounter. |
Thoughts?
*Genital HPV infection is very common, with estimates suggesting that more than 50% of women will become infected with one or more of the sexually transmitted HPV types at some point during adulthood.[7]
The American Social Health Association projections in 2006 were yet more pessimistic, predicting that about 75% of the reproductive population will have been infected with genital HPV infection in their lifetime.
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Your answers were just fine and I'm glad you're doing so well.
I just think that he micro-focuses on things. You could paint the world white, and he would find the one spot you missed and then right a book about it and keep bringing up how you missed it. (over looking the bigger picture that now every-thing's got freakin white paint all over it
I just think that he micro-focuses on things. You could paint the world white, and he would find the one spot you missed and then right a book about it and keep bringing up how you missed it. (over looking the bigger picture that now every-thing's got freakin white paint all over it
Assuming it's never going to go away and it's one of the riskier strains of HPV, I think I'll handle it like this:
I will most likely disclose the information, but I'll do it in such a way that the girl knows the facts. I'll explain that a previous girlfriend of mine had the HPV virus, so it's likely that I carry it, too, but impossible to know for sure. Condoms are probably 98%* effective in preventing transmission. And for a point of reference, a woman with HPV is still roughly 20 to 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer** than any cancer involving the HPV.
The exeption to this, would be if I ever find myself in a one-time situation with a girl who smokes. I figure, if she's sleeping around she knows what's out there, and clearly doesn't care much about her health anyway.
Footnotes:
*The study on wiki showed a 70% effectiveness to prevent transmission using condoms every time. The wording (every time) seems to tell me that this means that the 70% effectiveness is for the life of the relationship. Assuming 25 sexual encounters, that will yield a 98.5% condom effectiveness per sexual encounter.
** The chance of a woman developing breast cancer in her lifetime is about 14.5%. According to Wiki, the chance of a HPV carrying woman developing cervical cancer without pap checkups is 1%. With pap smears, the chances are dramatically reduced. That phrase is ambiguous, so I'll have to interpret it myself. I'd guess the pap checkups will reduce the risk 90% on the high end to 25% on the low end. To me, that represents a realistic dramatic reduction. That corresponds to a .01-.05 ratio of cervical cancer to breast cancer in women with HPV.
Assuming it's never going to go away and it's one of the riskier strains of HPV, I think I'll handle it like this:
I will most likely disclose the information, but I'll do it in such a way that the girl knows the facts. I'll explain that a previous girlfriend of mine had the HPV virus, so it's likely that I carry it, too, but impossible to know for sure. Condoms are probably 98%* effective in preventing transmission. And for a point of reference, a woman with HPV is still roughly 20 to 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer** than any cancer involving the HPV.
The exeption to this, would be if I ever find myself in a one-time situation with a girl who smokes. I figure, if she's sleeping around she knows what's out there, and clearly doesn't care much about her health anyway.
Footnotes:
*The study on wiki showed a 70% effectiveness to prevent transmission using condoms every time. The wording (every time) seems to tell me that this means that the 70% effectiveness is for the life of the relationship. Assuming 25 sexual encounters, that will yield a 98.5% condom effectiveness per sexual encounter.
** The chance of a woman developing breast cancer in her lifetime is about 14.5%. According to Wiki, the chance of a HPV carrying woman developing cervical cancer without pap checkups is 1%. With pap smears, the chances are dramatically reduced. That phrase is ambiguous, so I'll have to interpret it myself. I'd guess the pap checkups will reduce the risk 90% on the high end to 25% on the low end. To me, that represents a realistic dramatic reduction. That corresponds to a .01-.05 ratio of cervical cancer to breast cancer in women with HPV.
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And, for the record, smokers are more likely to aquire HPV than a non-smoker. So, you're basically guaranteeing that you'll pass it on to smokers just because you don't like the habit. Now that's mature.
What about the smokers you transmit it to that have sex with non-smokers after? Just spreading the love?
Maybe he said that because smokers are more likely to develop some type of cancer?
TheGoalie: Post your HPV status right on your pkg!
TheGoalie: Post your HPV status right on your pkg!
I think I thought he was saying that he wouldn't sleep with a smoker at all. Or something like that.
Thegoalie has good taste. The King doubts he would sleep with an obese, bulemic, or anorexic woman as those would be easily obvious and disgusting. Alchoholics won't care nor remember so it doesn't matter. Drug users are 50/50. If they are high group them in with the alchoholics. If they are not then he must favor them over smokers or something like that.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Does she still deserve HPV?
It's sad.
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