Health Infographic
A Timeline for Every Stage
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is recommended for everyone. It provides protection from types of HPV that can cause cancers (including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, and throat cancer), and genital warts.**
Start annual visits with your gynecologist. Your annual visit may include discussion of family planning, STI prevention and screening, and general reproductive health discussions. It will also include age-appropriate cancer screening as described below.
Get a Pap test every three years to screen for cervical cancer. This allows your gynecologist to look for changes in your cervix that may require treatment. There is an alternative of HPV-based screening for ages 25-29, although paps are preferred. Talk to your doctor about the type of screening that makes the most sense for you.
Continue pap screening for cervical cancer. HPV testing may be included with your Pap tests, or it may be used as the initial screening test. If you have normal results, you may only need to have a Pap test every five years.
Start breast cancer screening with mammograms. Professional societies have different recommendations for the starting age and frequency of mammograms. Talk to your doctor about the screening plan that makes sense for you.
Colon cancer screening (for example, with a colonoscopy) can detect cancer at an early stage, when it is easier to treat. Screening is recommended starting at age 45, and is even more strongly recommended at age 50+.
A bone mineral density scan checks for osteoporosis. Also, talk to your doctor about whether you need to continue having Pap tests.
Speak with your doctor about whether you still need to have mammograms and colon cancer screening. For some women, it might make sense to stop these tests.
If you are sexually active, talk to your doctor about prevention and screening for sexually transmitted diseases, pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis (PrEP), family planning and birth control options.
If you might become pregnant, take a folic acid supplement or prenatal vitamin with 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid or folate to help protect against birth defects. If you are starting to plan for pregnancy, make an appointment for pre-conception counseling.
Talk to your doctor about your mental and emotional health. Hormone changes associated with the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum period and perimenopause can affect your mood.
The menopause transition typically starts at age 45+ and the average age of menopause is 51-52. You may may experience a variety of symptoms ranging in severity depending upon the person. Talk to your doctor about menopause and ways to treat or manage symptoms.
Schedule a visit to discuss gynecologic concerns including menstrual problems, pelvic pain, vaginal symptoms, incontinence, or concerns about sexual health. It may not be possible to address them the same day as your preventive health visit, but it’s best to make your doctor aware so a plan can be made to address your concerns.
Eat a healthy diet, exercise and maintain a healthy weight. This reduces your risk of many health problems including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
