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 find 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 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 adults
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At routine exams
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Blood pressure
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All adults
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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 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 breast self-awareness
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At routine exams
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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. HPV testing is not advised.
Women between the ages 30 and 65 should have a Pap test plus an HPV test every 5 years or a Pap test alone every 3 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 at risk or if you 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 extra risk factors for diabetes (such as having a close relative with diabetes or having had diabetes in a previous pregnancy)
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At least every 3 years (annual testing if blood sugar has begun to rise)
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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 for infection
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At routine exams
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HIV
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All women
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At routine exams
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Obesity
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All adults
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At routine exams
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Syphilis
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Women at increased risk for infection
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At routine exams if at risk
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Tuberculosis
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Anyone at increased risk for infection
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Check with your healthcare provider
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Vision
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Women in this age group1
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Every 5 to 10 years if no risk factors for eye disease
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Counseling
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Who needs it
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How often
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Breast cancer, chemoprevention
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Women at high risk
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When risk is noted
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BRCA mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility
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Women with increased risk
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When risk is noted
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Diet and exercise
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Women who are overweight or obese
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When diagnosed and 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 through age 24
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At routine exams
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Tobacco use and tobacco-related disease
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All adults
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Every exam
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Immunizations***
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Who needs it
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How often
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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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2-3 doses (depending on the age at which the vaccine series began). If 3 doses are advised, the second dose should be given at least 1 month after the first dose and the third dose should be given at least 5 months after the first dose.
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Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
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All adults
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Td: every 10 years
Tdap: Have a 1-time dose of Tdap instead of a Td booster after age 18, then boost with Td every 10 years
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Chickenpox (varicella)
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All adults in this age group who have no record of previous 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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Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine
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All adults in this age group who have no record of previous infection or vaccines
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1 or 2 doses
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Flu vaccine (seasonal)
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All adults
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Yearly, when the vaccine is available
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Haemophilus influenzae Type B (HIB)
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Women at increased risk for infection. Talk with your healthcare provider.
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1 to 3 doses
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Hepatitis A vaccine
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People at risk2
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2 doses given at least 6 months apart
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Hepatitis B vaccine
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People at risk3
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3 doses; 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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Meningococcal
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People at risk4
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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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People at risk5
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PCV13: 1 dose ages 19 to 65 (protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
PPSV23: 1 to 3 doses depending on medical situation (protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
The type of vaccine used and the number of doses depends on age and medical situation. Talk with your healthcare provider about when and which type of vaccine is best for you.
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* American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines
**There may be exceptions may exist. Talk with your healthcare provider.
4 People ages 19 to 21 who are first-year college students or have 1 of several medical conditions
***People who are 18 years old and not up to date on their childhood vaccines should get catch-up vaccines advised by the CDC.
Other guidelines are from the USPSTF.