Female Health Screening Guidelines, Ages 40 to 49

Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes

All those in this age group

At least every 3 years

Type 2 diabetes

All those with prediabetes

Every year

Alcohol misuse

All those in this age group

At routine exams

Blood pressure

All those in this age group

Once a year if your blood pressure is normal. Normal is less than 120/80 mm Hg. If your blood pressure is higher than this, follow the advice of your doctor.

Breast cancer

All those at average risk in this age group. Expert groups vary on their advice. Talk with your doctor.

Talk with your doctor to help you decide when to start mammogram screening.

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises mammograms every other year starting at age 40.
• The American Cancer Society advises that those ages 40 to 44 have the choice to start yearly mammograms. They advise yearly mammograms for those ages 45 to 54.

Everyone should know how their breasts normally look and feel.

Cervical cancer

All those in this age group, unless they have had a complete hysterectomy

A primary human papillomavirus (HPV) test every 5 years, a cotest (an HPV test with a Pap test) every 5 years, or a Pap test every 3 years. In some cases, you may be able to collect your own HPV test sample and be tested every 3 years. Talk with your doctor about your risks and whether you need screening more often.

Colorectal cancer

Those ages 45 years and older at average risk

Talk with your doctor about which test is right for you:

• Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
• Colonoscopy every 10 years
• CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years
• Yearly fecal occult blood test
• Yearly fecal immunochemical test (FIT)
• Stool DNA test every 3 years

If you have a test that is not a colonoscopy and have an abnormal test result, you will need a colonoscopy.

You may need to be screened more or less often. This is based on personal or family health history. Talk with your doctor.

Chlamydia

Those at higher risk

At routine exams if you're at risk or have symptoms

Depression

All those in this age group

At routine exams

Gonorrhea

Sexually active people at higher risk

At routine exams

Hepatitis C

Those in this age group at higher risk

At routine exams

High cholesterol or triglycerides

All those ages 45 and older who are at risk for coronary artery disease. Those who are younger should talk with their doctor.

At least every 5 years

HIV

All those in this age group

At routine exams. Those with risk factors for HIV should be tested at least 1 time a year.

Obesity

All those in this age group

At routine exams

Syphilis

Those who are at higher risk. Ask your doctor.

At routine exams

Tuberculosis

Those who are at higher risk

Ask your doctor

Vision

All those in this age group

Full exam at age 40. Then eye exams every 2 to 4 years. If you have a chronic disease, ask your doctor how often you need an eye exam.

BRCA gene mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer

Those with higher risk for a gene mutation

When your risk is known

Breast cancer and chemoprevention

Those at high risk for breast cancer

When your risk is known

Diet and exercise

Those who are overweight or who have obesity

When diagnosed, and then at routine exams

Domestic violence

All those in this age group

At routine exams

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention

Those who are at higher risk. Talk with your doctor.

At routine exams

Use of tobacco

All those in this age group

Every exam