Women’s preventive health essentials

Preventive care is essential for women’s health, since symptoms and risk factors often differ from those of men and some screenings are unique to women. It’s important to recognize the factors that make women’s preventive care unique. For example, symptoms for certain conditions may show up differently in women. Risk factors may also be different between men and women. Additionally, several preventive care recommendations only apply to women. 

 

What preventive screenings should women stay on top of to protect their health at every age?

From ages 18 to 39:

  • Pap test to screen for cervical cancer (every three years)1
  • Mammogram if at increased risk of breast cancer (every 1 to 3 years)
  • Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) vaccine every 10 years or during each pregnancy
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV4) vaccine if not received as a teenager

 

From ages 40 to 49:

  • Pap test to screen for cervical cancer (every three years)1
  • Mammogram if at increased risk of breast cancer (every 1 to 2 years)
  • Cholesterol screening (every five years, unless at a higher risk for coronary artery disease)
  • Colorectal cancer screening, starting at age 45
  • Cardiovascular (CVD) risk assessment
  • Tdap (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) vaccine every 10 years or during each pregnancy

 

From ages 50 to 64:

  • Pap test to screen for cervical cancer1 (talk to your doctor about frequency)
  • Mammogram (every year up to 54 and then every 2 years at 55)
  • Cholesterol screening (every five years, unless at a higher risk for coronary artery disease)
  • Colorectal cancer screening
  • Lung cancer screening if there’s a history of smoking
  • Cardiovascular (CVD) risk assessment
  • Pneumonia vaccine
  • Shingles vaccine at age 50

 

From ages 65 to above:

  • Mammogram (every 2 years up to age 74 depending on risk factors)
  • Cholesterol screening (every five years, unless at a higher risk for coronary artery disease)
  • Colorectal cancer screening
  • Osteoporosis screening
  • Lung cancer screening if there’s a history of smoking
  • Cardiovascular (CVD) risk assessment
  • Pap test to screen for cervical cancer (talk to your doctor about frequency)
  • Pneumonia vaccine
  • Shingles vaccine if you did not previously receive the Shingrix vaccine

1 Recommendations for women aged 30 to 65 years include pap test every 3 years or combination of pap test and HPV testing every 5 years.