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Causes of Cancer of the cervix

Around 95% of all cases of cervical cancer are linked with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This is a common viral infection that is passed on during sexual intercourse. Most women who have had sex will get HPV at some point in their life, but the immune system often gets rid of the virus without you realising you had it.

There are many different types of HPV. Some can cause changes in the cells of the cervix, called cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). It is CIN that may develop into cancer if it isn’t treated.

Having a lot of sexual partners can increase your risk of getting HPV - the more people you sleep with, the more likely you are to be exposed to the virus. Other factors that can increase the risk include smoking heavily, getting pregnant at an early age, or having three or more pregnancies.