page 

General Screenings and

Immunizations for Women

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health

womenshealth.gov

1-800-994-9662

TDD: 1-888-220-5446

Screening tests Ages 18–39 Ages 40–49 Ages 50–64 Ages 65 and older

General health:

Full checkup, including weight and 

height

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Thyroid test (TSH)1 Start at age 35, 

then every 5 years

Every 5 years Every 5 years Every 5 years

Heart health:

Blood pressure test2

At least every 2 

years

At least every 2 

years

At least every 2 

years

At least every 2 

years

Cholesterol test3 Start at age 20, 

discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Bone health:

Bone mineral 

density test4

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Get a bone mineral 

density test at 

least once. Talk 

to your doctor or 

nurse about repeat 

testing.

Diabetes:

Blood glucose test5

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Start at age 45, 

then every 3 years

Every 3 years Every 3 years

Breast health:

Mammogram (x-ray 

of breast)6

Every 1–2 years. 

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Every 1–2 years. 

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Every 1–2 years. 

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Reproductive 

health:

Pap test and pelvic 

exam7

Every 1–3 years 

if you have been 

sexually active or 

are older than 21

Every 1–3 years Every 1–3 years Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Chlamydia test8 Yearly until age 25 

if sexually active. 

Older than age 25, 

get this test if you 

have new or multiple partners. 

Get this test if 

you have new or 

multiple partners. 

Get this test if 

you have new or 

multiple partners.

Get this test if 

you have new or 

multiple partners.

Sexually 

transmitted infection (STI) tests8

Both partners 

should get tested 

for STIs, including HIV, before 

initiating sexual 

intercourse.

Both partners 

should get tested 

for STIs, including HIV, before 

initiating sexual 

intercourse.

Both partners 

should get tested 

for STIs, including HIV, before 

initiating sexual 

intercourse.

Both partners 

should get tested 

for STIs, including 

HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse.

Mental health 

screening9

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Colorectal health:

Fecal occult blood 

test10,11

Yearly Yearly

Flexible sigmoidoscopy (with fecal 

occult blood test is 

preferred)10,11

Every 5 years 

(if not having a 

colonoscopy)

Every 5 years 

(if not having a 

colonoscopy)

These charts are guidelines only. Your doctor will personalize the timing of each test and immunization 

to meet your health care needs. 
page 

General Screenings and

Immunizations for Women

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health

womenshealth.gov

1-800-994-9662

TDD: 1-888-220-5446

Screening tests Ages 18–39 Ages 40–49 Ages 50–64 Ages 65 and older

Colorectal health 

(continued):

Double contrast 

barium enema 

(DCBE)10,11

Every 5–10 years 

(if not having a 

colonoscopy or 

sigmoidoscopy)

Every 5–10 years 

(if not having a 

colonoscopy or 

sigmoidoscopy)

Colonoscopy10,11 Every 10 years Every 10 years

Rectal exam10,11 Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Every 5–10 years 

with each screening (sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, 

or DCBE)

Every 5–10 years 

with each screening 

(sigmoidoscopy, 

colonoscopy, or 

DCBE)

Eye and ear health:

Complete eye 

exam12

At least once 

between the ages 

20-29 and at least 

twice between the 

ages 30-39, or any 

time that you have 

a problem with 

your eye(s).

Every 2–4 years Every 2–4 years Every 1–2 years

Hearing test13 Starting at age 

18, then every 10 

years

Every 10 years Every 3 years Every 3 years

Skin Health:

Mole exam14

Monthly mole selfexam; by a doctor 

every 3 years, 

starting at age 20

Monthly mole selfexam; by a doctor 

every year

Monthly mole selfexam; by a doctor 

every year

Monthly mole selfexam; by a doctor 

every year

Oral health:

Dental exam15

One to two times 

every year

One to two times 

every year

One to two times 

every year

One to two times 

every year

Immunizations:

Influenza vaccine16

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Yearly Yearly

Pneumococcal 

vaccine16

One time only

Tetanus-diphtheria 

booster vaccine16

Every 10 years Every 10 years Every 10 years Every 10 years

Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)17Up to age 26, 

discuss with your 

doctor or nurse.

Meningococcal vaccine18Discuss with your 

doctor or nurse if 

attending college.

Herpes zoster vaccine (to prevent 

shingles)19

Starting at age 60, 

one time only. Ask 

your doctor if it 

is okay for you to 

get it.

Starting at age 60, 

one time only. Ask 

your doctor if it is 

okay for you to get 

it.
page 

General Screenings and

Immunizations for Women

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health

womenshealth.gov

1-800-994-9662

TDD: 1-888-220-5446

Citations

1 Ladenson PW, Singer PA, Ain KB, Bagchi N, Bigos ST, Levy EG, Smith SA, Daniels GH. American 

Thyroid Association Guidelines for Detection of 

Thyroid Dysfunction. Archives of Internal Medicine. 

2000;160:1573-1575.

2 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for 

High Blood Pressure: Recommendations and Rationale. July 2003. Agency for Healthcare Research 

and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.ahrq.gov/clinic/

3rduspstf/highbloodsc/hibloodrr.htm. 

3 Adapted from:

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the 

National Institutes of Health. Third Report of the 

National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel 

on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High 

Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel 

III). 2002. NIH Publication No. 02-5215.

4 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for 

Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women: Recommendations and Rationale. September 2002. Agency 

for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. 

www.ahrq.gov/clinic/3rduspstf/osteoporosis/

osteorr.htm. 

5 American Diabetes Association. Frequently Asked 

Questions about Pre-Diabetes. Available at: www.

diabetes.org/pre-diabetes/faq.jsp. Accessed October 

25, 2006. 

6 National Cancer Institute. Screening Mammograms: 

Questions and Answers. Available at: www.cancer.

gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/

screening-mammograms. Accessed October 23, 

2006. 

7 National Cancer Institute. The Pap Test: Questions 

and Answers. Available at: www.cancer.gov/

cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/Pap-test. Accessed 

October 23, 2006.

8 U.S. Preventative Services Task Force. Screening for 

Chlamydial Infection. June 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.ahrq.

gov/clinic/uspstf/uspschlm.htm.

9 Adapted from:

National Institute of Mental Health. Depression: What 

Every Woman Should Know. Available at: www.nimh.

nih.gov/publicat/depwomenknows.cfm#ptdep8. Accessed October 25, 2006. 

10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Screening Guidelines (Colorectal Cancer). Available at: 

www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/

screening/guidelines.htm. Accessed October 24, 

2006. 

11 American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society 

Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer. Available at: www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/

PED_2_3X_ACS_Cancer_Detection_Guidelines_

36.asp. Accessed October 24, 2006. 

12 Eye exams. Foundation of the American Academy of 

Ophthalmology Web site. http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/eye-exams.cfm. Reviewed 

May 2007. Accessed March 27, 2008. 

13 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 

Hearing Screening. Available at: www.asha.org/

public/hearing/testing. Accessed October 24, 2006. 

14 American Cancer Society. Monitor your Skin for Signs 

of Skin Cancer. Available at: www.cancer.org/

docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Monitor_Your_

Skin_for_Signs_of_Skin_Cancer.asp. Accessed 

October 25, 2006. 

15 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The 

Pocket Guide to Good Health for Adults. Available at: 

www.ahrq.gov/ppip/adguide/adguide.pdf. 

Accessed October 24, 2006.

16 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule—United 

States, October 2006—September 2007. MMWR 

2006;55:Q1-Q4.

17 Adapted from:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV and 

HPV Vaccine: Information for Health Care 

Providers. Available at: www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/

STDFact-HPV-vaccine-hcp.htm#provhpvrec. 

Accessed October 25, 2006.

18 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meningococcal Disease. Available at: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/

dbmd/diseaseinfo/meningococcal_g.htm. Accessed 

August 23, 2006. 

19 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule—United 

States, October 2007–September 2008. MMWR 

2007;56(41):Q1-Q4.

Current as of March 2008