For the first time ever, a vaccine can help prevent certain types of cancer. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine protects against the virus that causes most types of cervical cancer in women.

This vaccine is a medical breakthrough, first approved in 2006. However, some people are wary of receiving the three-dose HPV vaccination. Why is it not being embraced? What's there to be afraid of?

As it turns out, much of the fear over the HPV vaccine lies with misunderstanding, misperceptions and a lack of awareness. Many people do not understand HPV or realize that it can lead to cervical cancer and other diseases. The importance of the HPV vaccine can only be understood once you realize the danger of the diseases that HPV can cause.

Genital HPV, cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), genital HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. Many people are exposed to HPV through sexual contact, but they react differently. Some clear the virus with no symptoms and some may develop genital warts, but in others HPV lingers and may contribute to precancerous changes in a woman's cervix, eventually leading to cervical cancer.

Although cervical cancer rates are relatively low in the United States, cervical cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. While there are at least 40 different types of sexually transmitted HPV, just 4 of these types account for most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. The HPV vaccine protects against these 4 major types of HPV.