A Guide to Women’s Health Screenings at Each Stage

Medically reviewed and edited by Lauren Cramer, PA- C

Published: June 16, 2025
Updated: December 03, 2025
4 mins

It can be easy to want to skip annual doctor’s appointments. Life gets busy, especially for women working demanding jobs, managing family and social responsibilities, or going through major changes. However, getting your annual screenings can help catch health complications before they worsen. 

As you age, a healthcare provider may recommend different health screenings. It’s always important to come to your healthcare provider with any concerns you may have about your health. Whether big or small, it’s important that you feel confident about your health status.

What is Women's Health Screening?

A women’s health screening is a preventative health service performed by a licensed healthcare provider. Overall, health screenings are a normal preventative health practice for everyone. Your healthcare provider may recommend a new health screening to check for any evolutions in your overall health and well-being. Women’s health screenings tend to focus on testing for health concerns that are more prevalent in people assigned female at birth.

Recommended Health Screenings in Your Teens

Shortly before the start of a young girl’s teenage years, a healthcare provider may begin asking about mental health and bodily changes related to puberty. Many girls first get their period in the early teen years or slightly earlier, between the ages of 10 and 12. 

Puberty is a time of many drastic changes for kids. The changes can affect how they behave and respond emotionally. It’s important they feel supported and well-informed about their bodies and what they may experience.

Around the teenage years, a healthcare provider may recommend the following annual health screenings:

• Hearing

• Scoliosis

• Annual physical

• Anxiety 

• Depression

• Eating disorder

In addition to the health screenings mentioned, many healthcare providers recommend that preteens and teens receive meningitis and HPV vaccinations at this age. Older teens may need additional guidance on sexual health and mental health support. A licensed pediatrician can answer any questions they may have and provide them with age-appropriate resources.

Recommended Women’s Health Screenings in Your 20s and 30s

In young adulthood, lifestyle habits can shape your overall health in this stage. For example, you may be more concerned about contraception and safety from STDs during this time.

In addition to an annual well-woman exam, your healthcare provider may recommend the following screenings in your 20s and 30s:

• Cervical cancer screening (every three years)

• Skin cancer screening (every year)

• Chlamydia testing (every year)

• STI testing (every year)

Recommended Women’s Health Screenings in Your 40s and 50s

Perimenopause can begin earlier than many people realize. Symptoms may start as early as the mid-30s, but more commonly appear in the 40s and early 50s as hormone levels become more variable. During this transition into menopause, shifting estrogen and progesterone can affect how well you sleep, your energy levels throughout the day, mood, menstrual patterns, and more.

In your 40s and 50s, your healthcare provider may recommend the following screenings, based on your age and risk factors:

• Colorectal cancer screening starting at age 45 or 50 (for example, a colonoscopy every 10 years, or stool-based tests more often)

• Cervical cancer screening every three to five years, depending on whether you have a Pap test alone or HPV-based testing

• Breast cancer screening (mammograms) every one to two years, depending on your risk and the guideline used

• Diabetes (A1C or blood sugar) testing if you’re 35-70 and have overweight or obesity, or other risk factors

• Lung cancer screening with low-dose CT only if you’re 50-80 and have a significant smoking history

• Skin checks on a schedule guided by your personal and family history of skin cancer and sun exposure

Your healthcare provider may also recommend the shingles vaccine and pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccine at this stage.

Recommended Women’s Health Screenings in Your 60s and Beyond

At this point, most women no longer have a menstrual period. This stage of your health is all about maintaining healthy habits and your overall well-being. Many of the recommended health screenings at this age focus on assessing sleep, memory, and bone density.

A healthcare provider may recommend the following screenings in addition to annual doctor’s visits:

• Colonoscopy (based on your healthcare provider’s recommendation)

• Bone density tests (based on your healthcare provider’s recommendation)

• Memory disorder assessments (based on your healthcare provider’s recommendation)

• Osteoporosis screening (based on your healthcare provider’s recommendation)

Your healthcare provider may also recommend getting the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine and the shingles vaccine if you don’t already have them.

Where Can I Learn More About Women’s Health?

Through every stage of your life, it’s important to make your health a top priority, even if you feel well. Women’s health screenings can help you get ahead of any common women’s health conditions. At LifeMD, licensed healthcare providers can guide you through ways to prevent or treat common health conditions related to women’s health like osteoporosis. 

Start learning more about women’s health and preventative strategies you can incorporate by connecting with LifeMD today.

Lauren Cramer, PA- C

Lauren is a passionate and dedicated board-certified physician assistant. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from SUNY Cortland — graduating magna cum laude while competing as a three-sport collegiate athlete in indoor and outdoor track and cross country. She went on to complete her Master’s degree in Biological Sciences and earn her Physician Assistant degree from Daemen College in Buffalo, New York. Lauren has years of focused experience in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause care, specializing in hormone replacement therapy (HRT), bone health optimization, and a functional medicine approach to women’s wellness. She integrates evidence-based hormone therapy with lifestyle, nutrition, and metabolic strategies to support long-term vitality, cognitive health, and bone density. In addition to her women’s health expertise, Lauren has a well-rounded background in allergy, asthma, otology, laryngology, and rhinology. Functional medicine has always been a passion of hers, and she continues to pursue advanced certification to deepen her ability to deliver personalized, root-cause care to her patients.

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