Some parents are uncomfortable tackling the thought of their little girls ever growing up.

Now imagine looking at your 11-year-old daughter and thinking she may become sexually active soon.

That uncomfortable thought likely is behind a lot of parents opting not to pursue a series of shots for their daughters that is meant to protect them from cervical cancer, which causes 4,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The three-shot series targets the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer.

The good news is some parents have recognized the value of protecting their daughters from contracting a preventable disease and got them the vaccinations. An estimated one in four teenage girls in the U.S. was inoculated with the Gardasil vaccine since mid 2006.

The vaccine has been controversial partly because parents don’t want to send the message that it’s OK to have sex as a teenager. The reality is, however, that teens’ behavior isn’t always based on parental approval. Many teens from the beginning of time have had sex no matter what their upbringing. Every adult knows of teen pregnancies that occurred when they were growing up.

Communication is key when parents talk to their daughters about the HPV vaccine. Some parents may choose not to get into many specifics about the shot when administered to their 11-year-olds, who often receive other shots at that age. With older girls, parents can make it clear they’re not encouraging sexual behavior today. The vaccine is a precaution to make sure that when the day comes when their daughter chooses to have sex, they’ll be protected from at least one life-threatening disease.

The vaccine is not a miracle drug that protects against every sexually transmitted disease, so teens still have the responsibility of making smart choices. And parents still have the responsibility of talking to their kids about risks of being sexually active.

No parent wants to believe their daughter is going to engage in sex before adulthood, and that may be true for lots of girls. But the series of shots will ensure that when those young women do take that step, they’ll be protected against most strains of HPV and will be less likely to contract cervical cancer.