| Basic Information |
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| Description |
- An annual overall physical examination for healthy adults
of all ages is no longer recommended by most medical
experts. However, there are certain periodic screening tests
recommended for healthy women based on risk factors and
preventive services. Counseling about lifestyle and health is
considered an important part of a periodic exam. Your doctor will probably discuss health-related behaviors such as
smoking cessation, alcohol use, contraception (if appropriate), eating habits and weight problems, exercise programs,
sexual activity (to assess risk of sexually transmitted diseases) and seat belt use.
- Vaccine-preventable diseases cause needless sickness and
death in adults. Many women are not aware that they need
immunizations or they are not sure about their immunization history. In addition, women are sometimes concerned about possible adverse reactions to immunizations.
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| Screening Tests For Periodic Examinations In Healthy Women |
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| Age 18-39 (childbearing years) |
- Height and weight.
- Blood pressure.
- Nonfasting total blood cholesterol (every 5 years).
- Clinical breast exam (every 1 to 3 years).
- Pelvic exam and Pap smear (every 1 to 3 years).
- Dental exam (every 6 to 12 months).
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| Age 40 64 (middle years): |
- Height and weight.
- Blood pressure.
- Clinical breast examination (yearly).
- Nonfasting total blood cholesterol level (every 5 years).
- Pelvic exam and Pap smear (annually).
- Digital rectal examination (annually).
- Sigmoidoscopy (every 3 to 5 years after age 50).
- Mammogram (every 1 to 2 years beginning at age 50).
- Oral cavity examination (every 1 to 3 years).
- Dental exam (every 6 to 12 months).
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| Age 65 and over (senior years): |
- Height and weight.
- Blood pressure.
- Visual acuity.
- Hearing and hearing aids.
- Clinical breast examination (yearly for women until age
75, unless an abnormality is detected).
- Oral cavity examination (every 1 to 3 years).
- Dipstick urinalysis.
- Sigmoidoscopy (every 3 to 5 years).
- Nonfasting total blood cholesterol level (every 4 years).
- Mammogram (every 1 to 2 years until age 75, unless
abnormality detected).
- Dental exam (every 6 to 12 months).
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| Recommended Immunizations |
- Tetanus-diphtheria booster (once between ages 14 to 16, then a booster every 10 years).
- Influenza vaccine - below age 65, depends on chronic diseases or occupational exposure; annually if over age 65.
- Pneumococcal vaccine-below age 65, depends on chronic diseases or special conditions; over 65, needed only one time.
- Rubella vaccine - once, for women of childbearing age without proof of immunity.
- Hepatitis B vaccine - once, for women in health care occupations or working with blood, intravenous drug users, those having multiple sexual partners or having sex with a hepatitis B-infected person.
- HIV patients should be evaluated for all immunizations.
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| Other Tests That May Be Recommended For Women With Risk Factors |
- Skin exam - for excessive skin exposure to sun or precancerous skin changes.
- Blood test for hemoglobin - heavy menstrual periods;
women of Caribbean, Latin America, Asian, Mediterranean
or African descent.
- Urine test for infection - diabetes mellitus.
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) tests - for women having sex
with multiple partners or a partner with multiple partners; sexual
contact with a person who has or has had an STD.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - women being
treated for another STD, intravenous drug user, women
having current or past sexual activity with an HIV positive
person or one who injects drugs.
- Genetic testing - women of reproductive age with risk factors.
- Tuberculosis (TB) skin test - infection with HIV, living or
working with someone with TB or other risk factors for TB
exposure.
- Blood test for type of lipids (cholesterol) - women with
high cholesterol count, having a close relative with high
cholesterol count, diabetes mellitus, smoking, family history
of heart disease.
- Mammogram - women below age 35 years if mother or
sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Fasting blood glucose (sugar) test - family history of diabetes mellitus, being very overweight, having had diabetes in pregnancy.
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone test (for thyroid function) - family history of thyroid disease, having an autoimmune disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis).
- Colonoscopy - personal history of inflammatory bowel disease or polyps in the colon, family history of colon cancer.
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| Notify Your Healthcare Provider If |
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You have questions about examinations or immunizations.
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