Screening tests and vaccines are an important part of managing your health. A screening test is done to find diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so lifestyle changes and checkups can reduce the risk of disease. Or the goal may be to detect it early to treat it most effectively. Screening tests are not used to diagnose a disease. But they are used to see if more testing is needed. Health counseling is important, too. Below are guidelines for these, for women ages 40 to 49. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re up-to-date on what you need.
Screening
Who needs it
How often
Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
All women beginning at age 40 and women without symptoms at any age who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more additional risk factors for diabetes
At least every 3 years
All women diagnosed with gestational diabetes
Lifelong testing every 3 years
Type 2 diabetes
All women with prediabetes
Every year
Alcohol misuse
All women in this age group
At routine exams
Blood pressure
Yearly checkup if your blood pressure is normal
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg
If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider
Breast cancer
All women at average risk in this age group
Screening with a mammogram can start at age 40. Talk with your healthcare provider to help you decide when to start screening. At age 45 start yearly mammograms.
Cervical cancer
All women in this age group, except women who have had a complete hysterectomy
Pap test every 3 years or Pap test plus human papilloma virus (HPV) test every 5 years
Colorectal cancer
Women age 45 years and older at average risk
Multiple tests are available and are used at different times. Possible tests include:
Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or
Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years, or
Yearly fecal occult blood test, or
Yearly fecal immunochemical test every year, or
Stool DNA test, every 3 years or
Double contrast barium enema every 5 years
If you choose a test other than a colonoscopy and have an abnormal test result, you will need to follow-up with a colonoscopy. Screening advice varies among expert groups. Talk with your healthcare provider about which tests are best for you.
Some people should be screened using a different schedule because of their personal or family health history. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health history.
Chlamydia
Women at increased risk for infection
At routine exams if you're at risk or have symptoms
Depression
Gonorrhea
Sexually active women at increased risk for infection
Hepatitis C
Anyone at increased risk; 1 time for those born between 1945 and 1965
High cholesterol or triglycerides
All women ages 45 and older who are at risk for coronary artery disease; younger women, talk with your healthcare provider
At least every 5 years
HIV
All women
At routine exams. Those with risk factors for HIV should be tested at least annually.
Obesity
Syphilis
Women at increased risk for infection: talk with your healthcare provider
Tuberculosis
Ask your healthcare provider
Vision
Complete exam at age 40 and eye exams every 2 to 4 years. If you have a chronic disease, ask your healthcare provider how often you should have your eyes examined.
Vaccine
Chickenpox (varicella)
All women in this age group who have no record of this infection or vaccine
2 doses; the second dose should be given at least 4 weeks after the first dose
Hepatitis A
2 doses given 6 months apart
Hepatitis B
3 doses over 6 months; second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose; the third dose should be given at least 2 months after the second dose and at least 4 months after the first dose
Haemophilus influenzae Type B (HIB)
Women at increased risk
1 to 3 doses
Influenza (flu)
Once a year
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
All women in this age group who have no record of these infections or vaccines
1 or 2 doses
Meningococcal
1 or more doses
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
A 1-time dose of Tdap instead of a Td booster after age 18, then Td every 10 years
Counseling
BRCA gene mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility
Women with increased risk for having gene mutation
When your risk is known
Breast cancer and chemoprevention
Women at high risk for breast cancer
Diet and exercise
Women who are overweight or obese
When diagnosed, and then at routine exams
Domestic violence
Women at the age in which they are able to have children
Sexually transmitted infection prevention
Women at increased risk for infection–talk with your healthcare provider
Use of tobacco and the health effects it can cause
Every exam