McKesson Clinical Reference Systems: Women's Health Advisor 2002.2
Spanish version

How often should I get a checkup?

Here are guidelines for how often you should get a routine checkup. If you have any ongoing health problems, you should probably see your health care provider more often.

If you are 18 to 39 years old:

Once a year, you should have:

• A breast exam.
• A Pap test. (After you have had three normal Pap smears, ask your health care provider about how often you should have it done.)
• Your teeth checked.

Every 2 to 3 years, you should have:

• A blood pressure check.
• A height and weight measurement.
• An exam to look for cancers of the thyroid, lymph nodes, ovaries, and skin.

Every 5 years, you should have a:

• Cholesterol check.
• Blood sugar check if you are overweight.

Make sure you are up to date on your shots.

• Make sure you have had your rubella (measles) shot.
• Get a tetanus shot every 10 years.
• Get a chickenpox shot if you have not had one before and you do not know if you have had chickenpox.

If you are 40 to 65 years old:

Once a year, you should have:

• An exam to look for cancers of the breast, skin, thyroid, ovaries, uterus, lymph nodes, and rectum.
• A Pap test. (Ask your health care provider about how often you should have it done.)
• Your teeth checked.

Every 1 to 2 years, you should have:

• A height and weight measurement.
• A blood pressure check.
• A stool sample checked for blood.
• A mammogram. (After you're 50 years old, you should have a mammogram every year.)
• An eye exam (with a check for glaucoma).

Every 3 to 5 years, you should have a:

• Cholesterol check.
• Blood sugar check.
• Special test (sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) for colon cancer after age 50.

Make sure you are up to date on your shots.

• Get a tetanus shot every 10 years.
• Get a chickenpox shot if you have not had one before and you are not sure if you have had chickenpox.

If you are over 65 years old:

Every 6 months, you should have:

• Your teeth checked.

Every year, you should have:

• A weight measurement.
• A blood pressure check.
• A mammogram.
• An exam to look for cancers of the skin, breast, thyroid, ovaries, uterus, lymph nodes, and rectum.

Every 1 to 3 years, your health care provider should:

• Check your blood count, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
• Check your hearing and vision (with a check for glaucoma).
• Do a Pap test if you have had abnormal results before.

Every 5 years you should have a test (sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) for colon cancer.

Get the shots you need:

• Get a flu shot every year.
• Get the pneumonia shot if you have not had one before.
• Get a tetanus shot every 10 years.

All women should remember the keys to keeping healthy.

• Eat many kinds of healthy foods.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Exercise often.
• Get regular checkups and the shots you need.

This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.