Next steps toward better health for women
Do you know what you should be doing to live a healthier life? Use this list. Pledge to follow one or all of the steps for your age group. Then get the conversation started at your next checkup with this list.
Published
May 19, 2022
•
Reviewed by
a UI Health Care Provider
Reach your health goals with help from a well-woman visit
During your well-woman visit, you'll discuss the steps you need to take, as well as the screenings and shots you need.
The care you need depends on the following factors
- Age
- Health habits
- Risk factors
- Family history
It's a time to check in on how you're doing, how you'd like to be doing, and what changes you can make to reach your health goals.
In addition to talking with your doctor or nurse about your health, you may also get a physical exam and perhaps certain shots and medical tests. You do not need every test every year.
Steps for your age group
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days
- Quit smoking or don’t start
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Ask what other shots I need
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
Reproductive and sexual health
- Choose the right birth control if I have sex
- Talk to my doctor about whether I plan to have children in the next year
- Talk to my doctor about when I need a Pap test (21 and older)
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Get an HIV test at least once in my lifetime
- Get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea
- Get the HPV vaccine if I have not yet received the series of shots (26 and younger)
Diseases and conditions
- Talk to my doctor about getting my cholesterol checked if I have a family history of heart problems
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about my family history of cancers
- Talk to my doctor about getting screened for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days
- Quit smoking or don’t start
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Ask what other shots I need
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
Reproductive and sexual health
- Choose the right birth control if I have sex
- Talk to my doctor about whether I plan to have children in the next year
- Talk to my doctor about when I need a Pap and HPV test
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Get an HIV test at least once in my lifetime
Diseases and conditions
- Talk to my doctor about getting my cholesterol checked if I have a family history of heart problems
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about my family history of cancers
- Talk to my doctor about getting screened for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days
- Quit smoking or don’t start
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Ask what other shots I need
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
Reproductive and sexual health
- Choose the right birth control if I have sex
- Talk to my doctor about whether I plan to have children in the next year
- Talk to my doctor about when I need a Pap and HPV test
- Talk to my doctor about whether I am having perimenopause symptoms
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Get an HIV test at least once in my lifetime
Diseases and conditions
- Talk to my doctor about getting my cholesterol checked if I have a family history of heart problems
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about my family history of cancers
- Talk to my doctor about whether I should have a screening mammogram
- Talk to my doctor about getting screened for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days
- Quit smoking or don’t start
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Ask what other shots I need
- Ask about daily aspirin use (55 and older)
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
Reproductive and sexual health
- Choose the right birth control if I still get my period
- Talk to my doctor about when I need a Pap and HPV test
- Talk to my doctor about menopause symptoms
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Get an HIV test at least once in my lifetime
Diseases and conditions
- Talk to my doctor about getting my cholesterol checked if I have a family history of heart problems
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about my family history of cancers
- Get a mammogram every other year
- Get screened for colorectal cancer
- Ask about lung cancer screening if I am a current or past smoker (55 and older)
- Get screened for Hepatitis C if I was born between 1945 and 1965
- Talk to my doctor about getting screened for Hepatitis B
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days (65 and older who are fit and have no limiting chronic conditions)
- Talk with my doctor about an exercise program that is appropriate (65 and older with low fitness levels or chronic conditions)
- Quit smoking or don’t start up again
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Get a pneumonia shot (65 and older)
- Ask what other shots I need
- Ask about daily aspirin use
- Talk to my doctor about preventing falls
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
- Talk to my doctor about when I need a Pap and HPV test (65 and younger)
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Get an HIV test at least once in my lifetime (65 and younger)
Diseases and conditions
- Talk to my doctor about getting my cholesterol checked if I have a family history of heart problems
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about my family history of cancers
- Get a mammogram every other year
- Get screened for colorectal cancer
- Ask about lung cancer screening if I am a current or past smoker
- Talk to my doctor about osteoporosis screening
- Get screened for Hepatitis C if I was born between 1945 and 1965
- Talk to my doctor about getting screened for Hepatitis B
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days (women who are fit and have no limiting chronic conditions)
- Talk with my doctor about an exercise program that is appropriate (women with low fitness levels or chronic conditions)
- Quit smoking or don't start up again
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Get a pneumonia shot if I haven't had one before
- Ask what other shots I need
- Ask about daily aspirin use
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Talk to my doctor about any hearing or vision problems
Diseases and conditions
- Talk to my doctor about getting my cholesterol checked if I have a family history of heart problems
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about my family history of cancers
- Get a mammogram every other year (74 and younger)
- Get screened for colorectal cancer (75 and younger)
- Ask about lung cancer screening if I am a current or past smoker
- Talk to my doctor about osteoporosis screening
- Talk to my doctor about getting screened for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days (women who are fit and have no limiting chronic conditions)
- Talk with my doctor about an exercise program that is appropriate (women with low fitness levels or chronic conditions)
- Quit smoking
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Get a pneumonia shot if I haven't had one before
- Ask what other shots I need
- Talk to my doctor about preventing falls
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Talk to my doctor about any hearing or vision problems
Diseases and conditions
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
General health
- Get an annual well-woman visit
- Get my blood pressure checked
- Eat healthy
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days (women who are fit and have no limiting chronic conditions)
- Talk with my doctor about an exercise program that is appropriate (women with low fitness levels or chronic conditions)
- Quit smoking
- Limit alcohol use
- Get a seasonal flu shot
- Get a pneumonia shot if I haven't had one before
- Ask what other shots I need
- Talk to my doctor about preventing falls
- Talk to my doctor about any domestic and interpersonal violence
- Talk to my doctor about my risk for sexually transmitted infections and need for screening
- Talk to my doctor about any hearing or vision problems
Diseases and conditions
- Get tested for diabetes if I have blood pressure higher than 135/80
- Talk to my doctor about stress, depression, and other mental health concerns
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