Risk Factors

Cervical cancer begins with abnormal changes in the cervical tissue. The risk of developing these abnormal changes has been associated with the following factors:

• Relationship to sexual intercourse
  • Many partners during lifetime
  • Frequent intercourse
  • Early onset of sexual activity
  • First pregnancy in teenage years
  • Multiparity (several children) by mid 20s
• Venereal diseases
  • Genital herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus type 2—HSV-2)
  • Human papilloma virus (HPV)
• Race: incidence higher in blacks and Hispanics
• Low socioeconomic status
• Poor genital hygiene
• Cigarette smoking
• Peak incidence over 40 years