The nonavalent HPV vaccine is more effective if administered before becoming sexually active, however its protective cover is still high up to 45 years of age, so up to that age it’s still a good idea to get vaccinated.
It is important to remember that for sexually active adult women there is always a risk of infection by cancerous HPV strains not yet discovered. It’s good to know that using a condom does not offer full protection from HPV infection since the virus can also be caught from parts of the body which are in any case exposed but not protected, like lips, scrotum, perineum.
An equally important thing for women is to understand the importance of going for screening up to 65 years of age, even if no longer sexually active at an older age (i.e. widows, divorcees), since the virus may be latent for many years.
