What does 'leading a healthy lifestyle' mean?

Leading a healthy lifestyle can help to reduce your risk of catching HPV and developing cervical cancer:

Keep your immune system – your body’s natural defence against disease and infection - strong

A weakened immune system could mean that your risk of cervical cancer is higher than average. If your immune system is healthy it will normally protect you against infection and developing abnormal cells – killing them off before they turn into cancer.²⁷

Eat healthily (lots of fruit and vegetables) and keep fit

Don’t take up smoking* (or give it up if you’ve already started)

Everybody knows that smoking can lead to lung cancer. It could also increase your risk of developing cervical cancer. Smoking stops your body’s immune system from working properly, leaving you more likely to get infections.²⁷ Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can tell you how you can get help to stop smoking.

Don’t drink too much alcohol*

Drinking too much alcohol also damages your body’s immune system. It is sensible to stay within the Government’s guidelines on drinking alcohol. As a general guide, women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units of alcohol a day, e.g. a standard 175ml glass of wine is about 2 units.²⁸

Avoid having sex when you are young and with lots of different partners*

The earlier you start having sex and the more men you have sex with, the more likely you are to catch HPV that causes cervical cancer. Remember too that you can catch HPV from just one sexual relationship. The more partners your partner has had, the more at risk you are.²⁷

If you have sex, make sure it is safe sex*

Using condoms is essential as they can help reduce the risk of infection with HPV and also protect you against many sexually transmitted diseases, as well as unplanned pregnancy. However, they don’t give 100% protection against HPV as it lives on the skin in and around the genital area and is passed on through skin-to-skin contact, not bodily fluids.^8-11

Screening is particularly important if you take the pill

Recent research shows that taking the contraceptive pill may increase the risk of cervical cancer. Amongst women who have taken the pill for at least 5 years, their risk of developing cervical cancer is doubled. This is still a small risk and the pill can protect you against womb and ovarian cancers.²⁷

Avoid having children before you are 17 and having more than seven children²⁷

Women, who have their first baby early, before 17, double their risk of cervical cancer compare to those who have their first baby at 25 or older.²⁷

* The legal age for buying cigarettes and alcohol is 18 years and the age of consent for sexual intercourse is 16 years in the UK