At my last yearly check-in, my doctor told me I was perfectly healthy. Then, before letting me take off the cardboard-like sheet I was wearing and slip into my warm clothes sitting on the chair opposite, she stopped me. She asked, "Have you heard of Gardasil, the HPV vaccination? I think you should consider getting it."

I said I had heard of it, but wasn't that for women under the age of 26?

And furthermore, I have every reason to believe I'm in a safe relationship and I'm fairly certain it isn't covered by my insurance. She agreed that it was unlikely to be covered by my insurance, but had I considered that my boyfriend may be cheating on me? This caught me off-guard. Although I appreciated she was looking out for my best interest, I was annoyed that she seemingly had ignored anything I had said about my life and wanted me to pay out of pocket for a shot I didn't believe I needed or felt would even work for me.

I'd like to be "one less" as much as the next girl, but I encourage doctors to take the time to really know their patients before insulting their relationships in order to push a vaccination that is unaffordable and unproven for women over the age of 26. - new york city, 26