If you’re a guy you may want to wander off at this point and look at pictures of trucks or comics or whatever manly things you do when girl cooties are involved. If you’re married, you may want to read on, because this information could be useful for your wife.

Last year when I went for my yearly exam, the doctor asked me if I wanted to also get the HPV test done.

For those of you who aren’t aware, HPV (human papillomavirus) is the cause of cervical cancer. You won’t necessarily get cervical cancer if you have HPV, but it does place you at risk.

So I told my doctor sure, I’m all about testing for cancer, and then promptly forgot about the test.

This year when I went in for my exam I was told that since the pap smear and the HPV test had come back negative, I don’t have to get another pap smear until 2011.

I still need to get my yearly gynecological checkups, but I get three whole years without, “now this is going to pinch just a little bit.” Which I think is quite nice.

The HPV Test website provides more information, if your doctor hasn’t already suggested this option.