You remember your dog’s vet appointment, your partner’s dentist appointment and the exact date your favorite show returns—but your own preventive care somehow gets filed under “I’ll deal with that later.” Health screenings can catch certain conditions before symptoms appear, but there is no universal checklist for everybody. Your age, medical history, anatomy and personal risks all matter. Use this guide to start the conversation with your healthcare provider.
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Women’s Critical Health Screenings for Every Age
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure screening begins at age 18. The main point of a blood pressure screening is to find hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, early before it causes serious harm.
“High blood pressure is when the force of blood pushing against your blood vessel walls is too high,” said Dr. Margaret Oberman, an Internal Medicine physician and primary care provider with Frederick Health. “It is usually without symptoms, but over time, this extra force can damage and narrow blood vessels. If it is not treated, high blood pressure can harm the heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, and blood vessels, raising the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and vision loss.”
Women ages 40 and older, as well as those at increased risk, should generally be checked annually. Stress and other factors can affect a single reading, so one stressful commute plus one alarming number doesn’t always tell the whole story. Your provider may recommend monitoring your blood pressure over time.
Cholesterol
Most women should begin cholesterol screening by age 20. Regular cholesterol testing helps assess and manage your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you have high cholesterol, a family history of high cholesterol or other risk factors, your provider may recommend more frequent testing. Unfortunately, cholesterol isn’t something you can reliably gauge by how you feel.
Mental Health
Everyone should be screened for depression when symptoms appear, and for women they should also be screened during pregnancy and the postpartum period. There’s no single recommended interval, so don’t wait for a routine questionnaire to mention persistent sadness, anxiety or changes affecting your daily life. If something feels off, bring it up. Your primary care provider is there to help.
HIV and Hepatitis C
HIV screening is recommended for everyone ages 13 to 65,. A as well as all pregnant people. Anyone who is sexually active will have varying frequencies for screening, so they should talk with their primary care provider. Most adults ages 18 to 79 should also be screened at least once for hepatitis C, with periodic testing for those with continued exposure risk.
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Cervical Cancer Screening
For average-risk women, cervical cancer screening begins at 21 years old. From ages 21 to 29, the current finalized federal recommendation calls for a Pap test (also known as a Pap smear) every three years. A history of abnormal results, cervical precancer or cancer, or a weakened immune system may require a different schedule.
“Cervical cancer prevention relies on both routine screening and HPV vaccination,” said Dr. Oberman. “Your primary care provider can review your personal health history—including prior abnormal screening results, immune status, and other risk factors—to determine the screening schedule that is right for you.”
Chlamydia and Gonorrhea
Sexually active women ages 24 and younger should be screened annually for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Women ages 25 and older should be screened when they have new or multiple partners, or a partner with an infection or history of infection. Both infections can occur without symptoms, making “I feel fine” an unreliable screening method.
HPV Vaccination
Check whether you completed the HPV vaccine series. A catch-up vaccination is recommended through age 26 for anyone who was not fully vaccinated earlier.
“Screening can identify HPV-related precancerous changes before they become cancer, and early-stage cervical cancer is generally more treatable,” said Dr. Oberman “HPV vaccination is also essential: it prevents infection with the HPV types responsible for most cervical cancers. Even after vaccination, people with a cervix should continue age- and risk-appropriate screening, because the vaccine does not prevent every HPV-related cancer.”
Family Cancer History
It may be time to replace “I think one aunt or uncle had passed from something I can’t remember” with an actual family health history. Routine mammograms and ovarian cancer screenings are not recommended for average-risk women in their 20s; however, certain family histories of breast, ovarian, tubal, or peritoneal cancer may warrant hereditary-cancer risk assessment and genetic counseling.
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Cervical Cancer Screening
From ages 30 to 65, women at average risk have three screening options: a Pap test every three years, a high-risk HPV test every five years or both tests every five years. Your provider can help determine the best option based on your medical history.
Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
Adults ages 35 to 70 who are overweight or obese should be screened for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Testing may include an A1C, fasting blood glucose test or an oral glucose-tolerance test. Bodies rarely follow one tidy little schedule—earlier or more frequent testing may be appropriate based on additional risks and medical history.
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Mammograms
Average-risk women should receive a mammogram every year from ages 40 through 74. A high-risk genetic variant, strong family history, previous chest radiation or other significant risks may require an earlier timeline or testing that is more custom to your needs.
Colorectal Cancer Screening
Colorectal cancer screening begins at 45 for average-risk women. A colonoscopy every 10 years is one option, but others include annual stool testing and stool DNA-FIT testing every one to three years. An abnormal result from a non-colonoscopy test must be followed by a colonoscopy.
Essential Screenings for Women in Their 50s
Osteoporosis Risk
In your 50s, you are at a higher risk of osteoporosis, a medical condition that makes bones thin, weak, and porous. This damage increases the risk of sudden breaks or fractures, often from minor falls or everyday movements. If you’re postmenopausal and under 65, your fracture risk should still be assessed. If that risk is elevated, it may be time for a bone-density scan.
Things that can raise the red flag: low body weight, smoking, drinking more alcohol than recommended, or having a parent who’s had a hip fracture.
Lung Cancer Screening
Annual low-dose CT scans are recommended for adults ages 50 to 80 with at least a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Screening generally ends after 15 smoke-free years or when a serious health condition makes lung surgery unlikely or inappropriate.
Screenings for Women in Their 60s and Beyond: Know What Continues
Bone-density Screening
A screening for osteoporosis typically involves a DXA bone-density scan.
Cervical Cancer Screening
Some average-risk women can stop cervical cancer screening after 65 if they have an adequate history of normal results. Do not cancel your Pap tests based on birthday candles alone—confirm with your provider that you meet the criteria first.
Cancer Screenings
Routine colorectal cancer screening continues through 75. From ages 76 to 85, the decision depends on overall health, previous screenings, and personal preferences. You have options for screening, with new ones popping up every year. For example, the Galleri blood test can test for over 50 different types of cancers with one blood draw. Talk to your primary care provider about what’s appropriate and works best for you.
Stay Informed at Every Age
No checklist can account for every symptom or medical plot twist. You may need earlier, more frequent, or sometimes even completely different testing based on your risks, and new symptoms should never wait for your next routine screening.
When in doubt, at your next appointment, ask: “Based on my age, history and personal risks, which screenings am I due for?” Sure, it’s way less exciting than making brunch reservations, but in the future looking back, you may very well consider it the better booking.
Frederick Health is a nonprofit healthcare system dedicated to improving the wellbeing of every individual in the community. For more than a century, Frederick Health has provided compassionate, high-quality care through an extensive network that includes Frederick Health Hospital, specialty and primary care practices, cancer services, rehabilitation, home care, hospice, and urgent care. Combining advanced medical innovation with a deep commitment to community health, Frederick Health serves patients at every stage of life while continually investing in programs, facilities, and services that help Frederick County thrive.
Shaylynn Marks
Shaylynn Marks has a BFA in Creative Writing, with poetry and prose published through several journals and sold internationally. She was awarded Runner-Up for Poet of the Year with Poetic Anarchy Press. When she doesn't have a pen in hand, you can find her with a guitar or paintbrush!
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