Screening tests and health counseling 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 find 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. Below are guidelines for these, for women ages 18 to 39. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re up to date on what you need.
Gender words are used here to talk about anatomy and health risk. Please use this information in a way that works best for you and your provider as you talk about your care.
Screening
Who needs it
How often
Alcohol misuse
All adults
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 is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider.
Breast cancer
All women in this age group should talk with their healthcare providers about breast self-awareness
Cervical cancer
Women ages 21 and older
Women between ages 21 and 29 should have a Pap test every 3 years. HPV testing is not advised.
Women between ages 30 and 65 should have a Pap test plus a high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) test every 5 years or a Pap test alone every 3 years, or every 5 years with hrHPV testing in combination with cytology (cotesting).
Chlamydia
Sexually active women, including those who are pregnant and who are:
24 years and younger
25 years and older at increased risk for infection
At routine yearly exams or as advised during pregnancy
Depression
All women in this age group
At routine exams, including during and after pregnancy
Diabetes mellitus, type 2
Adults with no symptoms who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more extra risk factors for diabetes (such as having a close relative with diabetes or having had diabetes in a previous pregnancy)
At least every 3 years (annual testing if blood sugar has begun to rise) Blood sugar should be tested for gestational diabetes around week 24 of pregnancy.
Gonorrhea
Hepatitis C
Anyone at increased risk for infection
At routine exams (once between age 18 and 79)
HIV
All women
At routine exams, including during pregnancy. Preexposure prophylaxis should be offered to those at high risk of HIV infection.
Obesity
Syphilis
Women at increased risk for infection
At routine exams if at risk
Tuberculosis
Check with your healthcare provider
Vision
Women in this age group 1
Every 5 to 10 years if no risk factors for eye disease
Health Counseling
Breast cancer, chemoprevention
Women at high risk
When risk is noted. Chemoprevention may be recommended after age 35.
BRCA mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility
Women with increased risk
When risk is noted. Genetic counseling is recommended and genetic testing if indicated.
Diet and exercise
Women who are overweight or obese
When diagnosed and at routine exams
Domestic violence
Women at the age in which they are able to have children
Sexually transmitted infection prevention
Women who are sexually active
Skin cancer
Prevention of skin cancer in fair-skinned adults through age 24
Tobacco use and tobacco-related disease
Every exam
* American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines
1 From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
Other guidelines are from the USPSTF.