One-half of the women with newly diagnosed invasive cervical cancer have never had a Pap test, and another 10 percent have not had a Pap test in the past 5 years. Blood tests Blood tests may be done to screen for a variety of diseases. A blood glucose test may be performed to detect elevated blood sugar and diabetes. Total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol should be checked annually to watch for elevated cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Hemoglobin and ferritin levels may be done to check for anemia.
Anemia can be a risk in women for two reasons, menstrual bleeding and dietary deficiency.
If during menopause you experienced prolonged or heavy bleeding, your doctor may monitor these levels for development of anemia. To avoid nutritional deficiencies, be aware of the food sources of iron, vitamin B12, and folate and include them in your diet daily. In addition to routine blood tests, other blood tests should be considered. If you had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985, have injected illegal drugs, have had multiple sexual partners or have had sex with a man who had sex with another man an HIV test is indicated. In this screening procedure, a hollow, lighted tube is used to visually inspect the wall of the rectum and the left side of the colon.