10 Necessary Health Tests for a Woman

Scheduling regular health tests is important for a woman who wants to protect her health and improve the quality of her life. Preventive screening will help to detect potential medical conditions when they’re still treatable. There are a wide array of important health tests that a woman needs to get to find out the current state of her health and protect her future.

Here is a List of Some Necessary Health Tests for a Woman

Cholesterol Screening

American Heart Association recommends that a woman should start getting tests for cholesterol levels at age 20. These tests minimize your risk for coronary heart disease. Screening should be done every four to six years for women at age of 20 and above.

Cervical Cancer Screening/ Pap smear

Cervical cancer screening for every three years is recommended for women who at ages of 21 to 65. Your physician will use a small brush to fetch cells from the cervix. The doctor will then perform a test to spot abnormal changes in these cells that might indicate pre-cancer or early cancer.

Women who are above 30 years should have the screening every five years. It is also important to combine this screening with a test for human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that can cause cervical cancer.

Screening for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that routine sexually transmitted infection (STI) checks should be done for sexually active women. These women are at higher risks of STIs.

You need to go for STI screening if;
You are trying to get pregnant
Have engaged in unprotected sex
Have a new sex partner
Experience unusual vaginal discharge
Have irregular bleeding
Experience pain during intercourse

Your doctor will test for STI such as gonorrhea and Chlamydia with a cervical swab, similar to a Pap smear. Blood test screening will help to check for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.

Mental Health Checkups

USPSTF recommended in 2016 that all adults should be screened for depression. Women, including those who are pregnant and in postpartum, can benefit from this screening. Women with mental health problems may abuse drugs and alcohol. Healthcare providers can order for urine drug tests if they suspect that a woman is having substance abuse problems. Women who are being treated for substance abuse disorders should also take urine drug test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment plan.

Blood pressure Screening

From the age of 20, you should start having your blood pressure screening every two years. An annual screening should be done for those who are above the age of 40 or with medical conditions such as obesity that increase their risk for hypertension.

The ideal reading for your blood pressure tests is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or under and should be checked more often if it is higher.

Mammogram

A mammogram is a clinical breast exam used to screen for breast cancer. According to American Cancer Society, it is recommended that a woman should start having an annual breast exam at age 45.

You can then have a mammogram every two years starting at age 55. However, for those women with a history of breast cancer in their family, they can start annual screening earlier

Diabetes Checkups

Blood glucose tests for women should start at around age 45 and performed every three years. The check-ups will help to detect diabetes or prediabetes. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases provide that you are prediabetic if your fasting plasma glucose test reads 100mg/dl or higher and diabetic if it reads more than 126mg/dl. Some women are at a higher risk of obesity than others and need to begin screening earlier or have frequent checkups.

Your risk for diabetes increases if;

You are obese
Have a family history of diabetes
Belong to a race or ethnicity that’s at a greater risk

Eye Checkups

If you have eye problems, you should have eye screening every year. It is also necessary to have comprehensive eye checks to detect any eye problems that may deteriorate with age.

Screening for Moles

A visit to a dermatologist once per year will help to prevent skin cancer. You should see a doctor
regularly to check for moles and evaluate any changes on your skin.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

From the age of 18, it is important for your doctor to start calculating your BMI using BMI Calculator App. The results will indicate whether you are obese, a condition that puts you at a higher risk of serious medical issues such as heart disease and diabetes.

Dental Screening

A woman requires biannual dental checkups. During regular dental visits, your dentist will clean and examine your teeth. Dental checkups will also help to detect early signs of decay, gum disease and other oral health problems. To conclude, it takes effort and caution to keep everything in your body functioning properly. Making appointments with your doctor for a medical test or using BMI Calculator App is one of the ways to achieve this.

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