8 Health Checks Women Should Be Doing

Each year beginning on Mother’s Day, National Women’s Health Week is celebrated to encourage women and girls to make their physical, mental and emotional health a priority.

This year’s theme is Empowering Women, Cultivating Health: Celebrating Voices, Wellness and Resilience. It is dedicated to empowering women to take charge of their health journeys and shine a light on health issues unique to women.

🎀 National Women’s Health Week is May 12-18! The 2024 theme, “Empowering Women, Cultivating Health: Celebrating Voices, Wellness, and Resilience,” helps women & girls to feel empowered in their health journey. Learn more about the 2024 focus areas. #NWHW https://t.co/dQ9fhGiYji pic.twitter.com/Sv1KOmlXCY
— womenshealth.gov (@womenshealth) April 25, 2024

Here are eight preventive measures and positive behaviors that can be easily incorporated into a woman’s everyday life:

Perform a monthly breast self-exam for lumps, discharge, skin changes and other irregularities.
Perform a monthly skin check for new or changing moles, spots, marks and other abnormalities.
See a dentist every six months for an oral health checkup and professional teeth cleaning.
Have an annual physical exam, including height and weight check, blood pressure screening, clinical breast exam and recommended blood tests.
Have a routine pelvic exam performed annually to check your uterus and ovaries for fibroids, cysts and swelling. Follow the guidelines for HPV screening applicable to your age and history.
Have a screening mammogram to check for breast cancer at a frequency recommended by your doctor. Current guidelines recommend screening begin at age 40 for women at average risk.
Have an eye exam at least once every two years (or more often as recommended for those who wear corrective lenses).
Have a skin cancer check performed by a dermatologist at least once every two years.