Top 10 Health Screenings For Women

Health screenings for women

Screenings for Women are vital, again extremely vital, as they help identify areas for improving overall well-being. Women’s health nurse practitioners typically conduct these screenings and educate patients on their importance. Regular annual visits to a women’s health nurse practitioner or physician are crucial for maintaining overall wellness. They provide opportunities to address concerns, discuss symptoms, and assess potential risks or future issues, regardless of immediate medical needs, now below are the Top 10 Health Screenings for Women.

Gestational diabetes screening – During pregnancy, gestational diabetes can cause problems for both the mother and baby during childbirth. To check for it, doctors recommend a test between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy.

Blood pressure screening – Women’s health nurse practitioners should suggest patients get their blood pressure checked every two to five years. This helps assess heart and vessel strain. If it’s consistently high, they should get checked yearly to avoid risks like heart attack and stroke.

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Cholesterol screening – While high cholesterol isn’t always harmful, a complete cholesterol test can identify heart disease risk. If cholesterol levels are normal consistently, women typically need testing every five years, unless major lifestyle changes occur, like significant weight gain.

Breast cancer screenings – Breast cancer self-exams and mammograms can save lives, especially if there’s a family history of breast cancer. Nurse practitioners should teach patients to do self-exams monthly. They should also know about other screening options like ultrasound, MRI, and mammograms.

Cervical cancer screenings – Women’s health nurse practitioners and physicians use pelvic exams and Pap smears to detect cervical cancer in female patients. It’s recommended to start these screenings at age 21 to catch cervical cancer early.

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Osteoporosis screening – Women over 65 and those with a similar fracture risk should get screened for osteoporosis. This helps nurses prescribe treatments to prevent bone fractures and to prevent bones from being brittle.

Screenings for sexually transmitted diseases – Women’s health nurse practitioners need to educate women on preventing sexually transmitted infections. During routine pelvic exams, testing for common STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea should be offered.

Get a Yearly Dental Checkup – Bacteria and inflammation in the mouth can contribute to diseases like heart disease and pneumonia, says nurse practitioners. That’s why Dental Associations recommends regular dental checkups for all adult women. These checkups include teeth cleaning, examination, and X-rays as necessary to catch decay and other issues early.

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Colorectal Cancer Screening – Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the colon or rectum, typically beginning as a growth called a polyp. Over time, some polyps can become cancerous if not detected and removed early, and Colorectal cancer screening involves tests and exams to detect signs of colorectal cancer early, even before symptoms appear. These screenings are important for preventing or treating colorectal cancer effectively.

Thyroid Function Test: Thyroid disorders are common in women; A thyroid function test is a medical test that checks how well your thyroid gland is working. It helps doctors see if your thyroid hormone levels are normal or if you have any thyroid problems, The thyroid is a small gland in the neck that produces hormones controlling metabolism and energy levels, affecting menstrual cycles and reproductive health in females.

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