ACIP recommends a routine 2-dose HPV vaccine schedule for adolescents who start the vaccination series before the 15th birthday. The two doses should be separated by 6 to 12 months. The minimum interval between doses is 5 calendar months.
A 3-dose schedule is recommended for people who start the series on or after the 15th birthday and for people with certain immunocompromising conditions (such as cancer, HIV infection, or taking immunosuppressive drugs). The second dose should be given 1 to 2 months after the first dose and the third dose 6 months after the first dose. The minimum interval between the first and second doses of vaccine is 4 weeks. The minimum interval between the second and third doses of vaccine is 12 weeks. The minimum interval between the first and third doses is 5 calendar months. If the vaccination series is interrupted, the series does not need to be restarted.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
Yes. ACIP recommends the 2-dose schedule for people starting the HPV vaccination series before the 15th birthday, as long as they are immunocompetent.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
No, do not restart the series. You should continue where the patient left off and complete the series.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
Yes. A dose administered up to 4 days before the minimum interval for that dose may be counted as valid and does not need to be repeated.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
Yes. If an HPV vaccine dose is administered at less than the recommended minimum interval then the dose should be repeated. The repeat third dose should be repeated 5 months after the first dose or 12 weeks after the invalid third dose, whichever is later.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
Yes. Adolescents and adults who started the HPV vaccine series prior to the 15th birthday and who are not immunocompromised are considered to be adequately vaccinated with just one additional dose of HPV vaccine.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
People who have received 2 doses of HPV vaccine separated by less than 5 months should receive a third dose 6–12 months after dose #1 and at least 12 weeks after dose #2.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
Yes. Any person who ever received 2 doses of any combination of HPV vaccines can be considered fully vaccinated if dose #1 was given before the 15th birthday and the 2 doses were separated by at least 5 months.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
No vaccine series needs to be restarted because of an interval that is longer than recommended (with the exception of oral typhoid vaccine in certain circumstances). You should continue the series where it was interrupted.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
HPV vaccine is not recommended for use during pregnancy. HPV vaccines have not been associated causally with adverse outcomes of pregnancy or adverse events in the developing fetus. However, if a person is found to be pregnant after initiating the vaccination series, the remainder of the series should be delayed until completion of pregnancy. Pregnancy testing is not needed before vaccination.
If a vaccine dose has been administered during pregnancy, no intervention is needed.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
You should withhold further HPV vaccine until she is no longer pregnant. After the pregnancy is completed, administer the remaining doses of the series using the usual 2- or 3-dose schedule (depending on the age at initiation of the series).
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
Yes, administration of a different inactivated or live vaccine, either at the same visit or at any time before or after HPV vaccine, is acceptable because HPV is not a live vaccine.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
Yes. No data exist on the efficacy or safety of HPV vaccine given by the subcutaneous route. All data on efficacy and duration of protection are based on a vaccine series administered by the intramuscular route. In the absence of data on subcutaneous administration, CDC and the manufacturer recommend that a dose of HPV vaccine given by any route other than intramuscular should be repeated. There is no minimum interval between the invalid (subcutaneous) dose and the repeat dose.
Last reviewed:
October 13, 2023
