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The Human Papilloma Virus or HPV, has been hot news over the last year. With the introduction and mass availabiliy of a HPV vaccine, the interest in this cervical Cancer and genital Wart causing virus has skyrocketed. Women are the ones who are effected by HPV, and most often, they are affected by their first sexual partner.

In a study that followed nearly 250 young women who had either not experienced sexual relations or were within their first three months of first having sex, the levels of HPV were measured over a three year period. Researchers found that more than one quarter of the women tested postitve for HPV within 12 months of their first sexual encounter.

At the milestones of 24 months and 36 months, the amount of women (exclusing those who had taken a second partner) testing positive for HPV increased by 10% at each testing point. Leaving the final statistics at 50% of women contracting HPV within three years of their first time having sex.

This information offers a positive push not only for condom use during sexual intercourse, but for the immunization of women against the HPV virus before they choose to become sexually active.