Women’s Health Checkups: 7 Vital Tests You Should Not Ignore!

A woman's body undergoes a lot of changes during various stages of life, right from puberty to menopause. Routine medical checkups are important so that you or doctors can spot serious conditions. This helps you get treated on time and more affordably, and keeps issues from becoming worse too. There are different types of tests you can take depending on your age. While you can check for lung cancer or breast cancer if you see any symptoms, it may be a better idea to go for women's health checkups packages. They help you check various risks and can make it easier for you if they are segregated by age. Whichever route you choose, here are a few important women's health checkups you should not miss!

Some Most Common Women’s Health Checkups:-

Prevent cervical cancer with a PAP smear test

This is one of the most important tests of a women’s health checkup that shouldn’t be missed. Make sure you take the test once in three years if your age falls between 21 and 65 years. In a PAP smear test, your gynecologist examines cells from your cervix. A speculum is used to widen your vagina and a small brush is inserted to extract cells. This screening test is mainly done to detect cervical cancer. If the ailment is diagnosed at an early stage, it can be treated easily. No wonder it is a vital woman’s test that you should definitely undergo as a preventive measure!

Screen for breast cancer with a mammogram

As part of women’s full body checkup, this is an important test to detect breast cancer in its early stage. It is done by compressing the breasts in between two plates to get an X-ray image. This way cancerous cells in the breast are detected [1]. Women between the age group of 45 and 50 years should undergo this test every two years. However, if you have a history of breast cancer in your family, you may want to get this test done at an earlier age.

Detect the risk for heart diseases by checking your lipid profile

With this test, you can get your triglyceride and cholesterol numbers. If your cholesterol is high, it can clog your arteries and increase the risk of heart ailments. There are no significant symptoms seen in case your cholesterol levels increase. The only way is to monitor them regularly. If you are over 20 years of age, get your cholesterol checked once in five years. However, if your family has a history of heart ailments and diabetes, you should get your blood tests done regularly.

Do a bone density screening to check your bone health

Women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis, especially after menopause [2]. So, it is important to check the density of your bones after 60 years of age. If you have other conditions affecting your bones, you may need to get screened at an earlier age. DEXA scan is the test used for assessing your bone density. In this scan, an X-ray captures images of your bones. Looking at these doctors determine if they are weak and start treatment accordingly.

Check for diabetes with blood glucose tests

If you have crossed 45 years of age, get your blood glucose checked every three years. High levels may indicate you are either pre-diabetic or diabetic. Get this test done regularly if you notice classic diabetes symptoms such as:

• frequent urination
• obesity
• excessive thirst

When you have a family history of diabetes, it is better to monitor your blood glucose levels sooner and more frequently.

Measure your thyroid levels with a thyroid function test

Check for obesity by getting a BMI test

Getting your body mass index checked is vital to prevent obesity. If you BMI levels are below 18.5, you are underweight. A healthy BMI level ranges between 18.5 and 24.9, while a value exceeding 25 is considered to be overweight. If your BMI levels exceed 30, it indicates you are obese. In this case, you will need to monitor your diet regularly [3].

Now that you have realized how important a female health checkup is, do not delay it! With routine screenings and checkups, you can stay fit as a fiddle! Book women’s health checkup packages in minutes on Bajaj Finserv Health. With affordable packages as well as individual tests from reputed labs, you can prevent ailments and manage your health better.