January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are more than 13,000 cases of cervical cancer in the United States, and about 4,000 women die of this cancer per year.

The cell changes that can lead to cervical cancer are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Almost everyone who is sexually active will have HPV at some point. Most HPV infections are harmless, and the immune system will clear the HPV within a few months. However, some HPV infections don't clear naturally, and when this happens, women are at risk for cervical cancer.

The good news, there are simple steps in preventi...