In honor of Women’s National Health and Fitness day, I’ve put together a list of all the health screenings women should have through the decades. After all, exercise isn’t the only preventive medicine to keep women healthy and happy.
Routine health screenings are important too. They make a woman’s ability to keep tabs on health a lot more simple.
And a woman’s health is dependent upon a lot of different things.
Its important all women make healthy lifestyle habits. Making time for regular exercise, learning and practicing stress management techniques, choosing the right foods, and scheduling routine health screenings should should all be at the top of a woman’s priority list.
These routine visits to primary care doctors can help you avoid health problems, heartaches, and costly medical bills in the future.
Medical Screenings For Women By Age Group
Your height, weight, and BMI should be checked at EVERY annual exam with your general practitioner. This is because these numbers serve as precursor for further screenings.
Here are the guidelines to health maintenance visits when considering healthy lifestyle habits for women, based on their age group. This guidance is courtesy of the the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and are supported by the Office of Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
| Screening Tests For Women | Women Ages 18–39 | Women Ages 40–49 | Women Ages 50–64 | Women Ages 65 and older |
| Blood Pressure Test | Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80). Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89. Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher. |
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80). Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89. Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher. |
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80). Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89. Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher. |
Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/80). Get tested once a year if you have blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89. Discuss treatment with your doctor or nurse if you have blood pressure 140/90 or higher. |
| BONE MINERAL DENSITY TEST Osteoporosis screening |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse if you are at risk of osteoporosis. | Get this test at least once at age 65 or older. | ||
| BREAST CANCER SCREENING Mammogram |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Starting at age 50, get screened every 2 years. | Get screened every 2 years through age 74.
Age 75 and older, ask your doctor or nurse if you need to be screened. |
| PAP SMEAR TEST Also known as Cervical cancer screening |
Get a Pap test every 3 years if you are 21 or older and have a cervix. But if you are 30 or older, you can get a Pap test and HPV test together every 5 years. |
Get a Pap test and HPV test together every 5 years if you have a cervix. | Get a Pap test and HPV test together every 5 years if you have a cervix. | Ask your doctor or nurse if you need to get a Pap test. |
| CHLAMYDIA TEST | Get tested for chlamydia yearly through age 24 if you are sexually active or pregnant. Age 25 and older, get tested for chlamydia if you are at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant. |
Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active and at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant. | Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active and at increased risk. | Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active and at increased risk. |
| CHOLESTEROL TEST | Starting at age 20, get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease. Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested. |
Get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease. Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested. |
Get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease. Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested. |
Get a cholesterol test regularly if you are at increased risk for heart disease. Ask your doctor or nurse how often you need your cholesterol tested. |
| COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENINGS fecal occult blood testing sigmoidoscopy colonoscopy |
Starting at age 50, get screened for colorectal cancer.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it. |
Get screened for colorectal cancer through age 75.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about which screening test is best for you and how often you need it. |
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| DIABETES SCREENING | Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. | Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. | Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. | Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure. |
| GONORRHEA TEST | Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant. | Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk, pregnant or not pregnant. | Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk. | Get tested for gonorrhea if you are sexually active and at increased risk. |
| HIV TEST | Get tested for HIV at least once. Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse because you may need more frequent tests. All pregnant women need to be tested for HIV. |
Get tested for HIV at least once. Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse because you may need more frequent tests. All pregnant women need to be tested for HIV. |
Get tested for HIV at least once. Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse because you may need more frequent tests. |
Get tested for HIV at least once if you are age 65 and have never been tested. Discuss your risk with your doctor or nurse. |
| SYPHILIS TEST | Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk or pregnant. | Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk or pregnant. | Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk. | Get tested for syphilis if you are at increased risk. |
Keep in mind that the information above is simply guidance about routine doctor appointments for women are guidelines only, and it does in fact vary in practice.
Whats the point of periodic trips to the doctor?
There are 5 main purposes behind the approach of periodic doctor appointments, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine:
- Assess your risk of future medical obstacles
- Screenings for medical issues
- Encourage a healthy lifestyle
- Staying up to date on vaccinations
- Help you build a relationship with your health-care provider in the case of an illness.
Your primary care doctor or nurse practitioner will most likely personalize the timing of the screening tests you need based on many factors like a family history for breast cancer or a unhealthy lifestyle habit such as smoking.
And always feel comfortable to ask your doctor or nurse if you don’t understand why a certain test is recommended for you. It is also helpful to check with your insurance plan to find out which tests are covered, and what the most effective and affordable approach for preventive care will be for you.
Even if you are feeling healthy, it is still important to be evaluated by a doctor periodically.
If you haven’t already scheduled your annual trip to your primary doctor this year, today could be a great day!
Stay healthy 🙂
Have questions, comments, or concerns? Email Elara@saludmovil.com