Women's Health Check-up List

The best way to stay healthy is to practice a healthy lifestyle. That includes a healthy diet that is low in fats and includes lots of fruits and vegetables. It includes not smoking (Read about "Quit Smoking") and drinking alcohol only in moderation. (Read about "Alcoholism") Another part of a healthy life style is getting the proper screening tests and acting appropriately on the information they provide.

Top health experts from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggest that when you go for your next check-up, talk to your healthcare provider (HCP) about how you can stay healthy no matter what your age. Our SCREENING TEST CHECKLIST can help. Simply click on the link for the form. You can fill out this form online and either save it or print it. To save, click the "Save" icon, name the form, and save to either your computer hard drive, other storage device. To print, use the "Print" button. The information you enter will NOT be saved anywhere else once the window is closed. This is to protect your privacy. When you're done, simply close the form window and continue using our site.

Screening tests: What you need and when

Screening tests, such as Pap tests (Read about "Cervical Cancer"), can find diseases early when they are easier to treat. Some women need certain screening tests earlier, or more often, than others. Talk to your HCP about which of the tests listed below are right for you, when you should have them and how often.

The Task Force has made the following recommendations, based on scientific evidence, about which screening tests you should have. Remember these are only recommendations and your personal situation may indicate that you should have these tests earlier and more often then these recommendations indicate.

• Mammograms - Different organizations have different guidelines as to how often women should be screened for breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about when and how often you should get a screening mammogram. (Read about "Mammograms" "Breast Cancer")
• Pap tests - By the time cervical cancer causes symptoms, it is often advanced. Women should talk with their doctors about having a test for "high risk" strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and/or a Pap test. HPV is responsible for genital warts and the vast majority of precancerous genital lesions and cervical cancers. A Pap test or Pap smear, done as part of a pelvic examination, tests a small sample of cells taken from the cervix to spot cancer while the cancer is still in its early, more treatable stage. (Read about "Cervical Cancer" "STD's")
• Obesity - Have your body mass index calculated to screen for obesity. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. (Read about "Body Mass Index" "Obesity")
• Cholesterol checks - Have your cholesterol checked regularly starting at age 45. (Read about "Cholesterol") If you are younger than 45, talk to your doctor about whether to have your cholesterol checked if you smoke, have diabetes or if heart disease runs in your family. (Read about "Quit Smoking" "Diabetes" "Coronary Heart Disease" "Family Health History")
• Blood pressure - Have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years, more often as you age. Some racial and ethnic groups have a higher risk and should discuss the issue with their HCP. (Read about "Hypertension: High Blood Pressure")
• Colorectal cancer tests - Begin regular screening for colorectal cancer starting at age 45. Your doctor can help you decide which test is right for you. How often you need to be tested will depend on which test you have. (Read about "Colorectal Cancer")
• Diabetes tests - Have a test to screen for diabetes if you have high blood pressure, obesity, high BMI or high cholesterol. (Read about "Diabetes")
• Depression - If you've felt "down," sad or hopeless and have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things for 2 weeks straight, talk to your doctor about whether he or she can screen you for depression. (Read about "Depressive Illnesses")
• Osteoporosis tests - The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says you should have a bone density test at age 65 to screen for osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). Postmenopausal women younger than 65 years, who are at increased risk of osteoporosis, should also be tested. You may also need to be tested earlier if you had early menopause or if you use certain medications such as corticosteroids. (Read about "Osteoporosis" "Age and Bone Loss")
• Chlamydia and STD tests - Talk to your doctor to see whether you should be screened for sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and chlamydia. (Read about "STD's" and about HIV in "HIV / AIDS")

If the screening tests show problems, you can discuss with your HCP the actions you need to take to regain your health. They can vary from nothing, which is also called watchful waiting, to lifestyle changes and/or medical procedures such as an operation. (Read about "Medical Procedures")

You should also ask your doctor about the following:

• Hormones - According to recent studies (Read about "Clinical Studies"), the risks of taking the combined hormones estrogen and progestin after menopause (Read about "Menopause") to prevent long-term illnesses outweigh the benefits. Talk to your HCP about whether starting or continuing to take hormones is right for you.
• Breast cancer drugs - If your mother, sister or daughter has had breast cancer, talk to your HCP about the risks and benefits of taking medicines to prevent breast cancer. (Read about "Breast Cancer")
• Aspirin - Talk to your doctor about taking aspirin to prevent heart disease (Read about "Aspirin and Heart") if you are older than 40 or if you are younger than 40 and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or if you smoke. (Read about "Quit Smoking")
• Immunizations
  • Stay up-to-date with your immunizations. (Read about "Immunizations")
  • Have a flu shot every year starting at age 50. (Read about "Influenza")
  • Have a tetanus-diphtheria shot every 10 years.
  • Get a shingles vaccine at age 60. Ask your doctor if you should have it earlier. (Read about "Shingles")
  • Have a pneumonia shot once at age 65. You may need it earlier if you have certain health problems, such as lung disease. (Read about "Pneumonia")
  • Talk to your doctor to see whether you need hepatitis B shots. (Read about "Hepatitis B")

What else can you do to stay healthy?

• Don't smoke - But if you do smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. You can take medicine and get counseling to help you quit. Make a plan and set a quit date. Tell your family, friends and co-workers you are quitting. Ask for their support. (Read about "Quit Smoking")
• Healthy diet - Eat a variety of foods, including fruit, vegetables, animal or vegetable protein (such as meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu or tempeh) and grains (such as rice). Limit the amount of saturated fat you eat. (Read about "Food Labels")
• Exercise - Walk (Read about "Walking for Health"), dance, ride a bike, rake leaves or do any other physical activity you enjoy. Start small and work up to a total of 20-30 minutes most days of the week. (Read about "Getting Started on Fitness")
• Healthy weight - Balance the number of calories you eat with the number you burn off by your activities. (Read about "Burning Calories") Remember to watch portion sizes. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about what or how much to eat. (Read about "Losing Weight")
• Drink alcohol only in moderation - If you drink alcohol, have no more than 2 drinks a day. A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. (Read about "Alcoholism")