Introduction
Cervical cancer is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the human papillomavirus. Several risk factors predispose women and make them vulnerable to the virus. There is a high risk of this disease in women infected for more than six months according to statistics. It has also been realized that the disease tends to age away in most of the cases studied in the United States. High sexual activity in women is one major factor that has contributed significantly to the spread of this virus. When women have intercourse with infected partners This is common especially in women with multiple sexual partners. This has been noted in history whereby such kinds of women have had repeated cases of infection. Sexual activity also pre-exposes women to other infections other than the human papillomavirus. Douching is another activity that is common in women and which exposes them to infection by the human papillomavirus. Susceptibility to this infection arises in instances whereby douching removes the antiviral substances that are normally present in the vagina. Once such substances have been cleared the virus finds its entry so smooth. Women who do not practice douching are at low risk of contracting the human papillomavirus. The use of devices such as the pessaries in the vagina is yet another risk factor for the Human papillomavirus. The devices are designed in such a way that they can be inserted into the vagina with their ring shape to prevent the vagina and the uterus from risk of collapsing. The risk of chronic inflammation of the vagina in women who use these devices.
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The virus has also been noted in newborn children and infants. If an infected pregnant mother does not take precautionary measures then she can end up infecting the newborn child. In infants, the disease is associated with warts. (Bruce, 2005).
Genetics has a contribution in some cases of cervical cancer. At least one relative in some of the cases had the papillomavirus and therefore there was the genetic inheritance of the genes for the papillomavirus. Inherited genes in most cases have been characterized by a change of immune system in the affected patients. Once the immune system has been compromised, these people become susceptible to infection by the causative virus. The use of oral contraceptives cannot be left behind as one of the factors that make people susceptible to the human papillomavirus. This has been established after several studies in women who have been under the use of oral contraceptives on a long-term basis. This can be attributed to the fact that these women never use other methods such as condoms or diaphragms.
There are also chances that the hormones that are associated with the oral contraceptives aid the virus in its entry into cervical cells. Smoking in women has also been noted to contribute to some infections because this habit facilitates the growth of the virus in the cells of the victims. Secondary smoking also increases the growth of tumors associated with cancer. Chemicals are also risk factors for the infection with the human papillomavirus.
Women who have been exposed to certain chemicals are at risk of contracting the disease. Long-term exposure to both industrial and agricultural chemicals makes women vulnerable and this can even be transmitted to their daughters in the future.
References
Bruce M. King,Pearson/Prentice Hall Human Sexuality Today 5th Edition, 2005.