Update on Women’s Health Screening

When we think of women’s health screening, we think of Pap smears and mammograms. But there are many more screening tests women should be having besides the obvious ones. Women’s health screening tests are designed to detect the various conditions a woman can get earlier, when the conditions are better treatable with fewer complications.

Blood pressure screening should begin at the age of eighteen. It should be checked around every two years and ideally, the blood pressure should read around 120/80. Anything higher than that deserves closer screening tests. Along with this, a cholesterol check should be done, starting around age 20. You can get cholesterol screening at your doctor’s office or at one of many health fairs or job health fairs. The ideal level of total cholesterol is below 200 milligrams per dL. If it is higher than that, it deserves closer screening and the possibility of cholesterol-lowering medications.

Every woman should have a Pap test and pelvic exam beginning around the age of 21. Cervical cancer can be screened for as can human papillomavirus and other sexually transmitted diseases. Pap smears should be done at least every two years as long as they are normal. Women over the age of thirty can space out their Pap smears to every three years as long as they continue to be normal and they’ve had three normal tests within the previous tests.

Mammograms are vital to good screening for women’s diseases. A breast exam should begin around the age of twenty and mammograms should be done annually after the age of 40. Mammograms are excellent ways to detect breast cancer. Other good tests for screening for breast cancer include an MRI exam of the breasts.

Bone density screening should begin at age 65. If you are slender or have had a previously fractured bone, you may need to be screened earlier. The test takes x-rays of specific bones of the body and measures the bone density. Those with low bone density should be treated with bone-enhancing medications.

Blood sugar testing should begin at age 45 and should be done every three years, more often if you have symptoms of diabetes. Your fasting blood sugar should be less than 100 mg/dL. Colon cancer screening begins at age 50 for most women, who should have a screening colonoscopy every ten years. This test should be done earlier in those with a strong family history of colon cancer.

Your body mass index or BMI should be done on a regular basis. It is a calculation based on your height and weight. You should have a BMI under around 25 (23 for Asians) to be considered of normal weight. Your skin should be examined yearly by the doctor every year and you should examine your own skin every month. This is especially true if your skin is heavily exposed to the sun.