Your Source for Women's Health Information



IMPORTANT UPDATE:
In November 2009 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released new guidelines for breast cancer screening. The new guidelines are still considered controversial and are not wholly supported by the American Cancer Society.
In addition, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has released new guidelines for cervical cancer screening.

Links:
USPSTF Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines, November 2009
ACOG Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines, November 2009
American Cancer Society

For more information visit the MEDIVISION Health For Us Blog, and see the Prevention Research page.

 

Screening tests are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests are commonly available through your doctor, and some may be available elsewhere. Take an active role and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life.

For more information, see the General Screenings and Immunizations Guidelines for Women (National Women's Health Information Center)
Also available in Spanish

Osteoporosis is a condition with progressive loss of bone density leading to bone fractures. When estrogen levels drop after menopause, bone loss accelerates. Thus osteoporosis is most common among postmenopausal women.
DEXA bone density scanning can detect osteoporosis before fractures occur, predict the risk of future bone fractures, and although still controversial, some doctors use bone density to monitor effects of osteoporosis treatments.
Even though there is no formal recommendation, bone density measurements should be considered for all postmenopausal women, especially for persons at higher than normal risk of developing osteoporosis.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. Approximately 1 in 9 women who live to age 65 will develop breast cancer, although many will not do so until after age 65. Screening Tests include:

  • Breast self-examination. All women over age 20 should perform breast self- examination monthly, preferably at about the same time in their menstrual cycle.
  • Breast examination by a doctor. All women over age 40 should have breast examinations by their doctors every year.
  • Mammography . All women should have a baseline mammogram by age 40: until research in progress becomes conclusive, women between the ages of 40 and 50 can be screened every 1 to 2 years. All women older than 50 should have mammograms every year.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): About one-sixth of all Americans have high blood pressure, and the incidence of this disease increases with age. Consequently, the proportion among adults is higher, and it is even higher among seniors. African-Americans are more likely than others to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause arterial disease (atherosclerosis) that can lead to heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.
How often blood pressure should be checked depends on how severely elevated the blood pressure is, and also depends on the number of other heart attack and stroke risk factors. Adults with most recent normal blood pressure of systolic <130 and diastolic <85 should be checked at least every other year.

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Cancer of the cervix (the portion of the uterus that extends into the vaginal cavity) is the third most common gynecologic cancer. Scientists believe that cancer of the cervix is developed from abnormal precancerous (before-cancer) cells on the surface of the cervix. These abnormal cells transform into cervix cancer over a number of years. After turning cancerous, these cancer cells can invade or spread to other parts of the body. A Pap test is a simple, quick office test in which a sample of cells from a woman's cervix is collected by aspiration or swabbing and spread (smeared) on a microscope slide. The cells are examined under a microscope in order to look for precancerous (before-cancer) or cancer cells.
Women should have yearly Pap tests as part of a manual pelvic examination beginning at age 18. Because the risk of cervix cancer increases sharply in the first few years after sexual activity beings, some physicians begin screening women as soon as they become sexually active, but not before.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). While modern anti-HIV medications have significantly improved long-term survival and quality of life of HIV infected individuals, there is still no cure or vaccine.
HIV infected individuals can remain free of symptoms for many years; they will know if they are infected ONLY if a blood test for HIV is done. HIV testing can be performed by a physician or at a testing center.

Elevated LDL cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis ("hardening of arteries"). Atherosclerosis can begin to develop in adolescence and progress without any symptoms for many years. It leads to heart attack and stroke later in life. Hyperlipidemia is a common and treatable cause of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of death in both men and women in developed countries. The goal is to diagnose and retard or reverse atherosclerosis while it is still in a silent early state.
Screening is done by a Blood lipid panel that includes Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and cholesterol Triglyceride. All adults over 20 should have a lipid panel every 5 years, and more frequently as medically indicated.

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Adult Onset Diabetes Mellitus is a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels ("hyperglycemia") due to impaired utilization of insulin, decreased production of insulin, or both. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 18% of all Americans over 65 have diabetes. Over ten million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes and at least half as many more are thought to have diabetes that is undiagnosed. Many more have a condition that precedes diabetes, called "impaired glucose tolerance," characterized by sluggish metabolism of sugar (glucose) to a lesser degree than is present in those with diabetes.
Tests for diabetes mellitus include Fasting blood sugar (blood sugar test after at least 8 hours without calories), normal level less than 126 mg/dl and 2 hour postprandial blood sugar (blood sugar test 2 hours after a meal), normal level less than 140mg/dl. Healthy subjects over 45 years should have fasting blood glucose level checked every 3 years.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends a skin check every 3 years between the ages of 20 and 40, and a skin check annually over age 40.

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