Medical Tests For Women in Their 30s Get to Know the Screening Guidelines By Alyssa Giacobbe. Additional Reporting by Jessica Levine Women's Health Aug. 12, 2012 - Whether each morning starts with a scavenger hunt for your keys or you're so organized that you have automated reminders to send birthday cards, one thing is for sure: It's hard to keep tabs on your health when every medical test and screening has its own guidelines. That's why we're putting it all in one place. Take a look and then start scheduling your appointments. Blood Pressure You should get your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years if your reading is normal and at least every year if it's abnormal. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, or stroke, so get comfortable with the sphygmomanometer (that pump and arm cuff device). Health Advice For Your 20s, 30s and 40s Cholesterol High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease and the only way to detect it is with a blood test. If your LDL or "bad" cholesterol is higher than 130, you should get retested annually. If it's lower, you can wait 5 years to do it again. 8 Ways To Destress Your Life Thyroid Test An underactive thyroid, measured via blood test, can lead to weight gain; an overactive thyroid can indicate an autoimmune disease. Get tested for thyroid disorders at 35, or younger if you have symptoms like unexplained changes in mood, weight, sleep habits, and cholesterol level. Ask your doctor when you should have it rechecked. Medical Myth Busters Skin Cancer Screening Melanoma and other skin cancers aren't a concern only limited to people who use tanning beds. Fair-skinned women are at higher risk for skin cancer than people with darker skin. People who've had bad sunburns before age 18 and those who've had a close family member with melanoma are also more likely to get skin cancer. Do a self-exam every month looking for moles that are asymmetrical, larger than a pencil eraser, or have an irregular border or color. Alert a dermatologist if moles or spots are changing, growing, or bleeding. See a dermatologist annually for a full-body exam. Is Sun Damage Lurking In Your Skin? Pap Smear The Pap smear is a screening that detects inflammation and infection on the cervix and abnormal cells, which may signal cervical cancer. The new guidelines on Pap smears state that women over 30 who have had three consecutive "normal" results can wait three years between Paps. Pap Smear FAQs Low Iron The mineral shuttles oxygen around your body and removes waste from your cells. If you're not getting around 18 milligrams a day, your body struggles to function properly and you can feel worn out; low iron levels in your diet can cause iron deficiency anemia. If you feel sluggish, ask your doctor for a simple blood test to see if you should be taking a supplement. Healthy Eating Plan For The Rest Of Your Life The new human papillomavirus DNA test is used in women over 30 to detect the sexually transmitted infection that can cause cervical cancer. It's performed on the same specimen taken at the time of your Pap smear. Talk to your gyno about HPV testing when you go in for your next Pap. Everything You Need To Know About HPV Breast Self-Exam Last November, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) changed their mammogram recommendation for women over 40 and suggested women quit breast self-exams altogether. But these are fast and free checks, and the USPSTF's recommendation against teaching them has caused a big-time brouhaha. The group argues that self-exams have not been proven to reduce cancer-related deaths, though no conclusive study has been done in the United States. Most doctors say not to quit altogether. "I've evaluated women as young as 22 who were diagnosed with breast cancer and the breast lump was detected while doing a breast self-exam," says Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., former director of the Breast Diagnostic Clinic at the Mayo Clinic. If we'd told them 'Don't touch your breasts,' a lump that was cancerous may have been detected at a much later stage. Most lumps in younger women are caused by benign cysts, but there are no absolutes. The bottom is it doesn't hurt to become familiar with the normal changes of your breasts by examining them monthly, in the days just after your period. For instructions on how to perform a breast self-exam, visit cancer.org. Your Breast Questions, Answered Clinical Breast Exam The USPSTF has the same stance on clinical breast exams (performed by a doctor or nurse) as it does on self-exams: they don't reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer and women don't need to get them. But your gynecologist probably feels more pairs of breasts a day than anyone but the lingerie sales lady at Macy's, so why not let him or her keep tabs on your set just to be safe? The American Cancer Society recommends a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years for women in their 30s. 7 Ways To Keep Your Breast Healthy