Prevention Guidelines for Women 18 to 39
Prevention Guidelines for Women 18 to 39
Here are the screening tests and immunizations that most women ages 18 to 39 need. A screening test is done to find possible disorders or diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so lifestyle changes can be made and you can be watched more closely to reduce the risk of disease, or to detect it early enough to treat it most effectively. Screening tests are not considered diagnostic, but are used to determine if more testing is needed. This plan does not include recommendations for pregnancy. Although you and your healthcare provider may decide that a different schedule is best for you, this plan can guide your discussion.
Screening |
Who needs it |
How often |
---|---|---|
Alcohol misuse |
All adults |
At routine exams |
Blood pressure |
All adults |
Yearly checkup if your blood pressure is normal* Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg* If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider |
Breast cancer |
All women in this age group should talk with their healthcare providers about breast self-awareness |
At routine exams |
Cervical cancer |
Women ages 21 and older |
Women between ages 21 and 29 should have a Pap test every 3 years; women between the ages 30 and 65 should have a Pap test plus an HPV test every 5 years. |
Chlamydia |
Sexually active women ages 24 and younger, and women at increased risk for infection |
Every 3 years if at risk or if you have symptoms |
Depression |
All women in this age group |
At routine exams |
Type 2 diabetes |
All women with no symptoms who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more additional risk factors for diabetes |
At least every 3 years (annual testing if blood sugar has begun to rise) |
Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes |
All women diagnosed with gestational diabetes |
Lifelong testing every 3 years |
Type 2 diabetes |
All women with prediabetes |
Every year |
Gonorrhea |
Sexually active women at increased risk for infection |
At routine exams |
Hepatitis C |
Anyone at increased risk for infection |
At routine exams |
HIV |
All women |
At routine exams |
Obesity |
All adults |
At routine exams |
Syphilis |
Women at increased risk for infection |
At routine exams if at risk |
Tuberculosis |
Anyone at increased risk for infection |
Check with your healthcare provider |
Vision |
Women in this age group1 |
Every 5 to 10 years if not risk factors for eye disease |
Counseling |
Who needs it |
How often |
Breast cancer, chemoprevention |
Women at high risk |
When risk is identified |
BRCA mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility |
Women with increased risk |
When risk is identified |
Diet and exercise |
Women who are overweight or obese |
When diagnosed and at routine exams |
Domestic violence |
Women at the age in which they are able to have children |
At routine exams |
Sexually transmitted infection prevention |
Women who are sexually active |
At routine exams |
Skin cancer |
Prevention of skin cancer in fair-skinned adults through age 24 |
At routine exams |
Tobacco use and tobacco-related disease |
All adults |
Every exam |
Immunizations*** |
Who needs it |
How often |
Human papillomavirus (HPV) |
All women in this age group up to age 26 |
3 doses The second dose should be given 1 to 2 months after the first dose, and the third dose should be given 6 months after the first dose |
Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster |
All adults |
Td: every 10 years Tdap: substitute a one-time dose of Tdap for a Td booster after age 18, then boost with Td every 10 years |
Chickenpox (varicella) |
All adults in this age group who have no record of previous infection or vaccinations |
2 doses; the second dose should be given 4 to 8 weeks after the first dose |
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine |
All adults in this age group who have no record of previous infection or vaccinations |
1 or 2 doses |
Flu vaccine (seasonal) |
All adults |
Yearly, when the vaccine becomes available in the community |
Haemophilus influenzae Type B (HIB) |
Women at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider |
1 to 3 doses |
Hepatitis A vaccine |
People at risk2 |
2 doses given at least 6 months apart |
Hepatitis B vaccine |
People at risk3 |
3 doses; second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose; the third dose should be given at least 2 months after the second dose (and at least 4 months after the first dose) |
Meningococcal |
People at risk4 |
1 or more doses |
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) |
People at risk5 |
PCV13: 1 dose ages 19 to 65 (protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
PPSV23: 1 to 2 doses through age 64, or 1 dose at 65 or older (protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
|
* American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines
**Exceptions may exist; please discuss with your healthcare provider
1Recommendation from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
2For complete list, see the CDC website
3For complete list, see the CDC website
4People ages 19 to 21 years and who are first-year college students or have one of several medical conditions
5For complete list, see the CDC website
***Those who are 18 years of age, who are not up to date on their childhood immunizations, should receive all appropriate catch-up vaccines recommended by the CDC.
Other guidelines are from the USPSTF
Immunization schedule from the CDC
Updated:  
January 24, 2018
Sources:  
Evidence-based approach to prevention, Up To Date, Overview of Hypertension in Adults, Up To Date, Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, 2017, American Diabetes Association
Reviewed By:  
Cunningham, Louise, RN,Hurd, Robert, MD,Taylor, Wanda, L., RN, PhD,Turley, Raymond Kent, BSN, MSN, RN