Screening Guidelines, Women Ages 18 to 39

Screening tests and health counseling are an important part of managing your health. A screening test is done to find possible disorders or diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so changes can be made and you can be watched more closely to reduce the risk of disease, or to detect it early enough to treat it most effectively. Screening tests but are used to determine if more testing is needed. Health counseling is essential, too. 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.

We understand gender is a spectrum. We may use gendered terms to talk about anatomy and health risk. Please use this sheet 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 women in this age group	At routine exams
Blood pressure	All women in this age group	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 in this age group should talk with their healthcare providers about the need for clinical breast exams (CBE)1	Clinical breast exam every 3 years
Cervical cancer	Women ages 21 and older	Women between ages 21 and 29 should have a Pap test every 3 years; women between ages 30 and 65 are advised to have a Pap test plus an HPV test every 5 years
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 If pregnant, during early prenatal care visit. Repeat in 3rd trimester for women at increased risk.
Depression	All women in this age group	At routine exams
Diabetes mellitus, type 2	Adults with no symptoms who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more other risk factors for diabetes	At least every 3 years. Also, testing for diabetes during pregnancy after the 24th week.
Gonorrhea	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 Test during pregnancy if 25 years or younger or if living in an area where gonorrhea is common.
Hepatitis C	Anyone at increased risk	At routine exams
HIV	All women	At routine exams and in all pregnant people
Obesity	All women in this age group	At routine exams
Syphilis	Women at increased risk for infection should talk with their healthcare provider	At routine exams
Tuberculosis	Women at increased risk for infection should talk with their healthcare provider	Ask your healthcare provider
Vision	All women in this age group	At least 1 complete exam in your 20s, and 2 in your 30s

Health counseling	Who needs it	How often
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	When your risk is known
Diet and exercise	Women who are overweight or obese	When diagnosed, and then at routine exams
Domestic violence	All women in this age group	Every visit
Sexually transmitted infection prevention	Women who are sexually active	At routine exams
Skin cancer	Prevention of skin cancer in fair-skinned adults	At routine exams
Use of tobacco and the health effects it can cause	All women in this age group	Every visit

According to the ACS, women ages 20 to 39 years should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of their routine health exam every 3 years. Breast self-exams are an option for women starting in their 20s. But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does not recommend CBE.

Those who are 18 years old and not up-to-date on their childhood vaccines should get all appropriate catch-up vaccines recommended by the CDC.

The USPSTF recommends that all people ages 15 to 65 years be screened for HIV and those younger or older people at increased risk. The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.

HealthSheets™

Screening Guidelines, Women Ages 18 to 39