Women's Health Topics A - Z

Cancer prevention and treatment
You can take important steps at every age to minimize the chances of developing many types of cancer. By protecting your skin from sunburn in your teens, you can minimize your chance of skin cancer. By making sure you receive age-appropriate health screenings such as colorectal cancer screenings, you have your best chance of detecting colorectal cancer in its early, most treatable stages. Use these links to learn more about what you should do to prevent cancer at any age:

Breast Cancer Screenings

  • Have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years, starting at age 40.
  • Have a Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) at least every 3 years if you are in your 20s or 30s.
  • Breast Self Exam (BSE) is an option for women to begin in their 20s. Have your health care provider show you how when you have your CBE. If you choose to do BSE, you can get to know how your breasts normally feel, which can make it easier to notice changes.

Cervical Cancer Screenings: Have a Pap test every 1 to 3 years if you are sexually active and older than 21.

Colorectal Cancer Tests: Have a test for colorectal cancer starting at age 50. Your doctor can help you decide which test is right for you.

Thyroid Screenings: Over age 35, check your thyroid every 5 years or as directed by your doctor. 

Dental Health
Brush your teeth and don't forget to floss. Simple daily habits such as these can help prevent a mouthful of dental problems over your lifetime.

Depression
If you've felt "down," sad, or hopeless and have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things for two weeks straight, talk to your doctor about whether he or she can screen you for depression.

Diabetes
Early detection and treatment of diabetes prevents later complications from the disease. Health tip: make sure to a test to screen for diabetes if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Environmental Health Issues
Environmental health issues range from air and water pollution to exposures to hazardous chemicals at work and at home. Learn what you can do to minimize health impacts from environmental health issues.

Heart Health
Heart healthy behaviors pay off in increased vitality at every age. For sports performance and endurance in young athletes to the ability to manage the multi-tasking lifestyles and the active leisure of adults to longevity in seniors - a healthy heart is one of life's great benefits. Make your heart the best  it can be.

  • Have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years.
  • Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment - talk to your doctor if you are older than age 20.
  • Have your cholesterol checked regularly starting at age 45. If you smoke, have diabetes or if heart disease runs in your family, start having your cholesterol checked at age 20.
  • Should you take medicines to prevent disease? Talk to your doctor about taking aspirin to prevent heart disease if you are older than 40, or if you are younger than 40 and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or if you smoke.

Resources for a healthy heart:

Immunizations
Not for kids only. Teens and adults also need immunizations. Keep your life on track with timely immunizations and avoid being sidelined by vaccine-preventable diseases.

Injury Prevention
Accidents will happen, but many injuries can be prevented. Take advantage about what's know about injury prevention to avoid as many injuries as possible.  

Nutrition and Physical Activity
Stay at a healthy weight. Balance the number of calories you eat with the number you burn off by your activities. Remember to watch your portion sizes. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about what or how much to eat.

Eat a healthy diet. Eat a variety of foods including fruit, vegetables, lean animal or vegetable protein like meat, fish, chicken and eggs or beans, lentils and tofu and grains like rice. Limit the amount of saturated fat you eat.

Be physically active. Walk, dance, ride a bike, rake leaves or do any other physical activity you enjoy. Start with a small goal and work up to at least 30 minutes of activity most days of the week.

Pregnancy
Get healthy before you're pregnant. Nine months of a healthy pregnancy is the best gift you can give your future baby. There are things you can do before you get pregnant to help give your baby a better chance of a healthy and full-term birth. Plan your pregnancy and see a doctor or nurse before and during pregnancy to talk about the following topics.

Ask your doctor or nurse before you get pregnant what you need to know about:

  • Diabetes, high blood pressure, infections or other health problems
  • Medicines or home remedies
  • Taking a multivitamin pill with folic acid in it each day
  • Getting to a healthy weight before pregnancy
  • Smoking, drinking alcohol and taking illegal drugs
  • Unsafe chemicals or other things I should stay away from at home or work
  • Taking care of myself and lowering my stress
  • How long to wait between pregnancies
  • My family history, including premature birth

Five steps to get ready for a healthy pregnancy:

  • Take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day for at least 3 months before getting pregnant to help prevent birth defects.
  • Stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
  • If you have a medical condition, be sure it's under control. Some conditions include asthma, diabetes, oral health, obesity or epilepsy. Also be sure your vaccinations are up to date.
  • Talk to a health care professional about any over-the-counter and prescription medicines you are taking. These include dietary or herbal supplements.
  • Avoid contact with toxic substances or materials that could cause infection at work and at home. Stay away from chemicals and cat or rodent feces.

Prenatal Care
Prenatal care is the care you get while you are pregnant. All pregnant women need prenatal care. Learn What You Need to Know About Prenatal Care and read Pregnancy Tips (A-Z). 
 
Sexual Health
If you are sexually active, talk to your doctor about being screened for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV.

Tobacco and Alcohol Use
Don't Smoke. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. You can take medicine and get counseling to help you quit. Make a plan and set a quit date. Tell your family, friends and co-workers that you are quitting and ask for their support.