Health Care Is Self-Care: 5 Critical Screenings Women Should Prioritize

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Mammogram

A mammogram uses low-energy x-rays to detect early signs of breast cancer. Women between the ages of 40 to 44 can begin receiving annual mammograms, it’s recommended that women between the ages of 45 to 54 receive annual mammograms, and women 55 and up can switch to having a mammogram every two years, so long as their doctor says it’s safe. One interesting fact that shows the importance of annual mammograms is that, having a file of past mammograms on hand makes it easier for your doctor to accurately assess results of new ones. American Cancer Society states that False positives in a woman’s first mammogram are incredibly common, simply because doctors do not have past mammograms to compare these to. So even if you have several years of normal mammograms, those were not a waste – they create an understanding of what “normal” looks for your mammograms, and makes it easier for your doctor to detect changes later.