Women's Health Guidelines
These are general recommendations compiled by the Kelsey Research Foundation. Your care may vary depending on personal risk factors. Please consult your physician for specific medical advice.
Assessment | Ages 18-39 | Ages 40-49 | Ages 50-64 | Ages 65-74 | Ages 75+ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preventive Visit | Every 3 years | Yearly, unless your physician recommends every 2 years | Yearly | Yearly | Yearly |
Blood Pressure | Yearly | Yearly | Yearly | Yearly | Yearly |
Weight | Every 1-3 years | Every 1-3 years | Every 1-3 years | Yearly | Yearly |
Vision, Hearing | Discuss with your physician | Discuss with your physician | Discuss with your physician | Discuss with your physician | Discuss with your physician |
Stool sample for blood | Yearly (not needed if you have had a colonoscopy within the last 10 years) | Yearly (not needed if you have had a colonoscopy within the last 10 years) | Yearly (not needed if you have had a colonoscopy within the last 10 years) | ||
Colon exam | Based on family history | Colonoscopy every 10 years if first exam is negative | Colonoscopy every 10 years if first exam is negative | Colonoscopy every 10 years if first exam is negative | |
Cholesterol Screening | Every 5 years | Every 5 years | Every 5 years | Every 5 years | Every 5 years |
Blood sugar screening | Overweight patients with at least one other risk factor for pre-diabetes such as family history of diabetes | Patients 45 and older who are overweight | Discuss with physician; Offered yearly | Discuss with physician; Offered yearly | Discuss with physician; Offered yearly |
Mammogram | Based on family history, mammograms may need to begin age 40; discuss with your physician | Yearly beginning at age 45 unless otherwise directed due to high-risk factors | Yearly up to age 54; age 55 and older should be screened every two years unless otherwise directed | Every two years unless otherwise directed | Screening for cancer after age 75 should be based on individual cancer risk and projected life expectancy. Discuss with your physician |
Pap Test | Begin at age 21 and screen every 3 years | Ages 30-64: After 3 or more consecutive normal paps or negative HPV, continue every 5 years | Ages 30-64: After 3 or more consecutive normal paps or negative HPV, continue every 5 years |
Ages 30-64: After 3 or more consecutive normal paps or negative HPV, continue every 5 years | Ages 65+: Discuss with your physician |
Pelvic Exam | Yearly | May be done annually at the discretion of the physician | May be done annually at the discretion of the physician | May be done annually at the discretion of the physician | May be done annually at the discretion of the physician |
Clinical Breast Exam | Every 1-3 years | Yearly | Yearly | Yearly | Yearly |
Breast Self Exam | There are benefits and limitations to breast self-exam. Discuss with your physician | There are benefits and limitations to breast self-exam. Discuss with your physician | There are benefits and limitations to breast self-exam. Discuss with your physician | There are benefits and limitations to breast self-exam. Discuss with your physician | There are benefits and limitations to breast self-exam. Discuss with your physician |
Bone Mineral Density | All females 65 and older | All females 65 and older | |||
HIV screening | One-time screening between ages of 13 and 64; repeated | One-time screening between ages of 13 and 64; repeated | One-time screening between ages of 13 and 64; repeated |