Screening tests and vaccines 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 lifestyle 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 are not considered diagnostic, 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.
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Screening
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Who needs it
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How often
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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 in this age group should talk with their healthcare providers about the need for clinical breast exams (CBE)1
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Clinical breast exam every 3 years1
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Cervical cancer
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Women ages 21 and older
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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
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Chlamydia
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Sexually active women ages 24 and younger, and women at increased risk for infection
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Every 3 years 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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Diabetes mellitus, type 2
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Adults with no symptoms who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more other risk factors for diabetes
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At least every 3 years. Also, testing for diabetes during pregnancy after the 24th week.
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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
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At routine exams
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HIV
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All women
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At routine exams3
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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 should talk with their healthcare provider
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At routine exams
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Tuberculosis
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Women at increased risk for infection should talk with their healthcare provider
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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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At least 1 complete exam in your 20s, and 2 in your 30s
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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 4 to 8 weeks after the first dose
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Hepatitis A
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Women at increased risk for infection should talk with their healthcare provider
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2 doses given at least 6 months apart
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Hepatitis B
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Women at increased risk for infection should talk with their 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 for infection should talk with their healthcare provider
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1 to 3 doses
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Human papillomavirus (HPV)
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All women in this age group up to age 26
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3 doses; the second dose should be given 1 to 2 months after the first dose and the third dose given 6 months after the first dose
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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 should talk with their 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 should talk with their healthcare provider
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PCV13: 1 dose ages 19 to 65 (protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
PPSV23: 1 to 2 doses through age 64, or 1 dose at 65 or older (protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
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Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
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All women in this age group
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Td every 10 years, or a one-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 who are sexually active
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At routine exams
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Skin cancer
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Prevention of skin cancer in fair-skinned adults
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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 visit
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1 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.
2 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.
3 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.