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Stirrups? No Ma’am! I’m Testing Myself for HPV at Home – You Can Too!

This post is sponsored by Nurx, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

January has been a wild ride of resolution and goal making, but one of the things that we busy women so often forget is to take time out for us. This year I have made a commitment to better health and well being.

One of the ways that many of us can begin to look after our health is to be aware of what we are susceptible to as women. There are the things we know for sure to be conscious of, like high blood pressure or cholesterol, or even our mammograms. But what about the things we don’t think about as often? For instance, when was the last time you were tested for HPV? HPV, or Human Papillomavirus, is the most commonly transmitted STI. Nearly 80 million Americans are currently infected with HPV and 14 million people are newly infected each year. Most men and women are infected with HPV at some point in their lives (80 percent of sexually active people) while most are unaware they have the virus. Every year, HPV causes nearly 34,000 new cervical cancer diagnoses, but it is one of the most preventable cancers. The cervical cancer mortality rate among African-American women is more than twice the rate among Caucasian women.

You can check your risk for cervical cancer with a pap smear or a Home HPV test. For women 30 and older, you can either have a pap smear every three years or an HPV test every five years or a pap smear and HPV test every five years. HPV tests that can be administered at home are just as effective in determining your risk for cervical cancer. Did you know one in three women miss pap smears out of embarrassment? What if you could get your testing done without the paper gown and stirrups? Enter Nurx’s Home HPV Screening Kit. The Home HPV test is affordable, even for those without insurance ($15 with insurance, $69 without insurance). Nurx’s Home HPV test is the same quality as a pap smear and is a much more affordable and convenient option to check your risk for cervical cancer. The best part? You can order yourself a test right online, making it a convenient option as well as a more private one. Score!

It’s a win-win. The test is quick, affordable, and empowering. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I can keep a tab on my reproductive health by using an HPV kit from the comfort of my home. I love that Nurx’s Home HPV test is removing a barrier to better health for women by making it possible to eliminate a trip to the OBGYN.

The HPV Screening Kit includes… 

  1. An extra long q-tip
  2. A plastic tube
  3. A plastic bag
  4. A sticker with a barcode
  5. And a prepaid return envelope

How to use Nurx’s Home HPV Screening Kit:

  1. Hold the swab with one hand and insert the swab just like you would with a tampon.
  2. Gently turn the swab in a circle against the wall of your vagina for 30 seconds.
  3. Then drop the swab in the tube, and drop it in the bag.
  4. Place the bag in the pre-paid envelope, and drop it in the mail!
  5. Once your sample arrives, you’ll get your results from the Nurx medical team in just a few days.
  6. If your results are negative, this means your risk for cervical cancer is very low and do not need additional testing for another three years.
  7. If your results are positive, this does not mean you have cervical cancer. The Nurx medical team will work closely with you to help figure out the next steps!
  8. For those without insurance, Nurx offers the kit for only $69, shipping and processing included.
  9. If you have health insurance, in most cases the cost of the kit is covered. You will only need to pay $15 for shipping and processing.

January is Cervical Cancer month. Go get one of Nurx’s Home HPV tests, and make testing for HPV part of your resolution this year. Head to the Nurx website, or order through their convenient app. Either way, seize the opportunity to get peace of mind without the stirrups!

ChiChi

Tuesday 19th of February 2019

This is totally new to me. But for someone who struggled without health insurance after graduating from college, the price is definitely reasonable and a lot cheaper than a doctor's visit or at the health clinic.

Christiana

Saturday 16th of February 2019

This is such a helpful reminder. It's really important for us women to be more cautious about our health. This kit sounds quite handy and easy to use too.

Jonna

Monday 11th of February 2019

Wow that's cool that they have an at-home test for HPV. Who wants to go to the doctor if they don't have to? Makes sense!

Tiffany Heard

Sunday 10th of February 2019

HPV seems to be a newer STI. and I don't think many people know about it. Unfortunately, some people don't know have health insurance or go to the doctor. A take-home test is a great alternative to checking yourself

jaye

Friday 8th of February 2019

Health care access and screening inequity really sucks but it is so great that we have products like this that can help us get the care we may need.

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