Biomed Middle East reports that a study of 20,000 women revealed that young women indulging in early sex had a two fold increased risk of developing cervical cancer.
The study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer findings researched the reasons why women with poor socio-economic backgrounds have high cervical cancer rates.
Women from poorer backgrounds started to having sex at a younger age concluded the study published in British Journal of Cancer.
“In our study, poorer women become sexually active on average four years earlier” said lead author Dr Silvia Francheschi. This increased the risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which is linked to cervical cancer.
The age of a woman at the birth of her first baby is also a key factor contributing to early cervical cancer.
The study assessed women’s education, sexual and reproductive history, smoking habits, and tested them for the HPV virus.
Most women diagnosed with HPV infection had received five years or less of formal education and were at 41% more likely to develop cervical cancer than those who had more than five years of education.
“The results back up the need for the HPV vaccination to be given in schools at an age before they start having sex, especially among girls in deprived areas” said Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK.
