Women’s Health Check-In: What to Know at Every Age

Honoring National Women’s Health Awareness Month

Women’s health needs change with each decade—and staying proactive is the key to feeling your best. May is National Women’s Health Awareness Month, making it the perfect time for a personal health check-in. Whether you're in your 20s or your 60s, here's what to keep in mind for every stage of life.

In Your 20s: Build Your Foundation

This is the decade to lay the groundwork for lifelong wellness.

Key Focus Areas:

• Routine wellness visits with a primary care provider and OB/GYN
• Birth control and family planning discussions
• HPV vaccination (if not already completed)
• Breast self-awareness (knowing what's normal for you)
• Mental health check-ins: stress, anxiety, or burnout often begin here
• Fitness and nutrition habits to support energy and hormone health

Lifestyle Tip: Start tracking your cycle—not just for fertility, but to notice patterns in mood, energy, and sleep.

In Your 30s: Stay Ahead

This decade often brings more responsibility—career, family, caregiving. It’s also when stress and hormonal shifts start to surface more noticeably.

Key Focus Areas:

• Cervical cancer screenings - Pap smears every 3-5 years (depending on HPV testing) or per provider recommendation
• Fertility conversations—whether you're trying to conceive or not
• Thyroid health—imbalances often begin here
• Ongoing mental health, stress, and burnout management
• Staying up to date on vaccines, including Tdap and flu shot
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Lifestyle Tip: Make sleep and stress management as important as fitness. Burnout is real—and preventable.

In Your 40s: Tune Into Hormones

Perimenopause can begin in your 40s, and symptoms may start quietly—irregular periods, mood changes, sleep disruptions.

Key Focus Areas:

• Mammograms - start by age 40 unless advised earlier
• Blood pressure and cholesterol screenings
• Bone density screening if at risk
• Early signs of perimenopause - track changes and talk to your porvider
• Colon cancer screening may begin at age 45

Lifestyle Tip: Prioritize strength training and bone-building foods—this is when you start protecting your future strength.

In Your 50s: Navigate the Transition

Menopause typically occurs in this decade, marking a new chapter for your body and health priorities.

Key Focus Areas:

• Menopause support—discuss symptoms and treatment options (including HRT)
• Cardiovascular health becomes even more important post-menopause
• Bone density screening recommendations by age 65, but earlier if postmenopausal
• Regular colonoscopies
• Continue breast and cervical screenings
• Staying up to date on your vaccines, including shingles vaccine, flu shot

Lifestyle Tip: Don't tough it out—many menopause symptoms are manageable with the right support.

In Your 60s & Beyond: Prevent and Protect

This stage is all about prevention, monitoring, and maintaining independence.

Key Focus Areas:

• Annual wellness exams and chronic condition management
• Osteoposois screenings
• Continue mammograms and colon cancer screening as recommended
• Cognitive health and memory assessments
• Fall risk assessments and mobility support
• Staying up to date on vaccines, such as RSV, Flu, and Pneumonia

Lifestyle Tip: Stay social and active—connection and movement are powerful medicine.

Final Thoughts

Your health journey is deeply personal—and incredibly dynamic. National Women’s Health Awareness Month is your reminder to pause, check in, and prioritize you. Whether you're scheduling your first well-woman exam or reevaluating your care in retirement, now is the time to make that appointment, ask questions, and advocate for your health.

Need help getting started? Our team at Connected Health is here to support women’s health at every age.