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.
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Screening
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Who needs it
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How often
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Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
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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
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At least every 3 years
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Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
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All women diagnosed with gestational diabetes
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Lifelong testing every 3 years
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Type 2 diabetes
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All women with prediabetes
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Every year
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Alcohol misuse
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All women in this age group
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At routine exams
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Blood pressure
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All women in this age group
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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
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Breast cancer
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All women at average risk in this age group
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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.
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Cervical cancer
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All women in this age group, except women who have had a complete hysterectomy
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Pap test every 3 years or Pap test plus human papilloma virus (HPV) test every 5 years
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Colorectal cancer
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Women age 45 years and older at average risk
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Multiple tests are available and are used at different times. Possible tests include:
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Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or
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Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
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CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years, or
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Yearly fecal occult blood test, or
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Yearly fecal immunochemical test every year, or
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Stool DNA test, every 3 years or
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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.
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Chlamydia
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Women at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams if you're at risk or have symptoms
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Depression
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All women in this age group
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At routine exams
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Gonorrhea
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Sexually active women at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams
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Hepatitis C
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Anyone at increased risk; 1 time for those born between 1945 and 1965
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At routine exams
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High cholesterol or triglycerides
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All women ages 45 and older who are at risk for coronary artery disease; younger women, talk with your healthcare provider
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At least every 5 years
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HIV
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All women
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At routine exams. Those with risk factors for HIV should be tested at least annually.
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Obesity
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All women in this age group
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At routine exams
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Syphilis
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Women at increased risk for infection: talk with your healthcare provider
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At routine exams
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Tuberculosis
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Women at increased risk for infection
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Ask your healthcare provider
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Vision
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All women in this age group
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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.
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Vaccine
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Who needs it
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How often
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Chickenpox (varicella)
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All women in this age group who have no record of this infection or vaccine
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2 doses; the second dose should be given at least 4 weeks after the first dose
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Hepatitis A
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Women at increased risk for infection: talk with your healthcare provider
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2 doses given 6 months apart
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Hepatitis B
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Women at increased risk for infection: talk with your healthcare provider
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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
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Haemophilus influenzae Type B (HIB)
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Women at increased risk
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1 to 3 doses
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Influenza (flu)
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All women in this age group
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Once a year
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Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
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All women in this age group who have no record of these infections or vaccines
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1 or 2 doses
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Meningococcal
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Women at increased risk for infection: talk with your healthcare provider
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1 or more doses
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Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
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Women at increased risk for infection: talk with your healthcare provider
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1 or 2 doses
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Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
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All women in this age group
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A 1-time dose of Tdap instead of a Td booster after age 18, then Td every 10 years
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Counseling
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Who needs it
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How often
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BRCA gene mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility
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Women with increased risk for having gene mutation
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When your risk is known
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Breast cancer and chemoprevention
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Women at high risk for breast cancer
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When your risk is known
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Diet and exercise
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Women who are overweight or obese
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When diagnosed, and then at routine exams
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Domestic violence
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Women at the age in which they are able to have children
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At routine exams
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Sexually transmitted infection prevention
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Women at increased risk for infection–talk with your healthcare provider
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At routine exams
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Use of tobacco and the health effects it can cause
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All women in this age group
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Every exam
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