News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms March 24, 2008

News you need to know:

FDA to consider HPV shot for women up to 45
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will consider whether to expand use of Gardasil, a vaccine intended to prevent cervical cancer, to women aged 27 to 45.
The vaccine currently is approved for use in girls and women aged 9 through 26 to block four types of human papilloma virus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

Flu vaccine safe for egg-allergic kids
Two new studies suggest that the flu vaccine can be safely given to children with egg allergies. Because the vaccine contains egg protein, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend it for anyone with severe allergies to eggs. Many doctors hesitate to give the vaccine to anyone with even a mild allergy to eggs.
Researchers suggested testing children to determine the severity of their allergy--and then giving the vaccine in three to four smaller, escalating doses until they received the full dose.

More women succeeding at pregnancy after cancer
An increasing number of women are having safe and successful pregnancies after being diagnosed with cancer, according to a CNN report. There are no specific guidelines or timetables for women wanting to get pregnant after cancer treatment, the article said. It is important that a woman talks with her doctor right after diagnosis if she wants to preserve fertility.