By Keeping up with health checks can feel like a second job! Many women need to juggle work, family and a packed diary, and then wonder whether their cervical screen, bowel kit or skin check is due. This guide puts the Australian recommendations in one place, from a first screen at 25 to the last bowel kit at 74. It also flags when a specialist helps, such as a colonoscopy specialist in Melbourne after a positive bowel test, skin lesion removal for a suspicious spot, or pelvic floor disorder treatment when symptoms linger.
Ages 25 to 39: Setting the Habit
Cervical screening starts at 25 and repeats every five years until 74, under the National Cervical Screening Program. The test looks for human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus behind almost all cervical cancers. Since July 2022, eligible women can collect their own vaginal swab, either privately or at a clinic. The good news is that modelling suggests Australia could eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2035.
A common mistake is skipping screening after the HPV vaccine. The vaccine lowers risk but doesn’t replace the test. Bleeding between periods or after sex needs a clinician’s review, not a routine screen.
Blood pressure should be checked at least every two years from adulthood, and more often if readings run high.
Ages 40 to 49: Adding Layers
From 40, the RACGP recommends a type 2 diabetes risk check (the AUSDRISK questionnaire) every three years. Women with a history of gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome or a strong family history may need blood tests sooner.
BreastScreen offers free mammograms from 40, although invitations only begin at 50. Women in their 40s can book directly, and a GP can help weigh personal risk. From 45, Medicare also covers a heart health check.
Ages 50 to 64: The Busiest Decade
Breast screening runs every two years from 50 to 74. Bowel screening also repeats every two years. The kit uses a faecal occult blood test (FOBT), which finds tiny traces of blood that can’t be seen. A positive result doesn’t mean cancer, because haemorrhoids and polyps can also cause bleeding. It does mean a colonoscopy, and a colonoscopy specialist in Melbourne can usually arrange one quickly. Fewer than half of invited Australians complete the kit, so many women miss this chance. It’s also important for women to know what the colon cancer risks look like.
Skin checks deserve a place here too. Cancer Council Australia reports that two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by 70. No national screening program exists, so women with fair skin, many moles or a past skin cancer should book a yearly full-body check. Anything changing in size, shape or colour may need skin lesion removal and testing.
Menopause often arrives in this decade. Early menopause, long-term steroid use or a previous fracture can justify an earlier bone density scan (DEXA), so women should raise it with a GP.
Ages 65 to 75: Protecting Strength and Independence
Bone density matters most now. Medicare rebates DEXA scans from 70, and earlier for people with risk factors. Breast and bowel screening continue to 74, and the final cervical screen falls at 69 to 74 for many women. At 75, a GP can help decide whether further screening still makes sense.
Pelvic health deserves a mention. Continence Foundation of Australia figures suggest about one in three women who’ve had a baby experience leaking, and pelvic floor conditions can lead to prolapse. It’s common, but it’s not something to put up with. Early pelvic floor disorder treatment, often starting with specialist physiotherapy, brings good results.
Your Next Steps
A screening calendar works best when it lives somewhere visible. Many women set phone reminders and book the next appointment before leaving the clinic. Anyone with a positive bowel test should see a colonoscopy specialist in Melbourne without delay. A changing spot may need skin lesion removal, and ongoing symptoms deserve pelvic floor disorder treatment. This guide offers general information, not personal medical advice, so a GP should tailor each step to individual risk.