Women’s Health Checklist

Staying on top of your health doesn’t have to be overwhelming—sometimes, a simple checklist is all it takes. From breast and cervical screenings to heart, bone, and skin health, this guide offers a practical overview of the key health checks every woman should consider. Whether you’re in your 20s or navigating post-menopause, these regular check-ins can help you feel empowered, informed, and supported at every stage of life.

Regular Health Checklist for Women:

Ages 20–29

• Cervical Screening: A woman’s best protection against developing cervical cancer is having regular cervical smear tests. The National Cervical Screening Programme aims to reduce the number of women who get cervical cancer. Women in New Zealand can begin regular HPV-based cervical screening from age 25. Self-testing options are available through the National Cervical Screening Programme.
• Family history: now is a good time to find out about both sides of your family’s medical history as this can determine whether you may need more regular or earlier health screening for certain diseases and health conditions e.g having a family history of breast cancer or diabetes.
• Sexual Health: Regular STI checks are recommended if sexually active, especially with new or multiple partners.
• Mental Health: Discuss emotional wellbeing with your GP; support is available for anxiety, depression, and stress.
• Lifestyle: Establish healthy habits—balanced diet, regular exercise, and limiting alcohol and smoking.
• Oral health check: Prevent problems in your mouth by keeping teeth and gums in good shape and recognising and responding to problems as soon as they happen. Visit your dentist regularly for a dental check-up. If you have any symptoms of gum or periodontal disease, visit your dentist in between regular check-up times and don’t ignore symptoms.
• Immunisations: If you were not immunised against HPV as a child, you can still receive a free course of HPV vaccine (three doses given over 6 months) until you turn 27. If travelling overseas consider vaccinations for yellow fever, rabies, cholera, hepatitis A and typhoid. For young people aged 13 to 25 years in their first year of close living situations such as a university hall of residence, consider free immunisations against meningitis (MenACWY and MenB). Whooping, cough, flu and Covid-19 vaccinations are free during pregnancy.

Ages 30–39

• Cervical Screening: Continue HPV screening every 5 years unless otherwise advised.
• Fertility & Reproductive Health: Talk to your GP about fertility planning, contraception, and menstrual health.
• Pregnancy health: It is never too early to start pregnancy care for you and your baby. You can find a Lead Maternity Carer as soon as you confirm you are pregnant. Maternity care is publicly funded in New Zealand, but you can choose to pay privately for other services such as obstetrician care or a private sonographer.
• Breast Awareness: Begin regular self-checks and report any changes to your GP.
• Mental Health & Stress: Support is available for managing work-life balance, parenting stress, and emotional wellbeing.
• Immunisations: Whooping cough, flu and Covid-19 vaccinations are free during pregnancy.

Ages 40–49

• Breast Health: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in New Zealand. From age 45-69 enrol in BreastScreen Aotearoa for free mammograms every 2 years if you are a New Zealand citizen or resident. Discuss mammogram options with your GP, especially if you have a family history of breast cancer.
• Heart Health: Although you can’t do much about some of the risk factors such as getting older or your ethnicity, there are plenty of measures you can take at any age to reduce your risk of heart disease. Begin regular cardiovascular risk assessments, especially if you have risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes.
• Eye Health: Eye health and vision can deteriorate as we age – women aged 40+ years should visit an optometrist every 2 years, particularly if you have a family history of glaucoma, diabetes or macular degeneration..
• Skin Checks: New Zealand has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Most skin cancers are preventable – the main cause of them being over-exposure to sunlight, especially sunburn. Check your skin regularly for any changes; annual skin exams are recommended.
• Perimenopause Health: This is the decade where hormone fluctuations and the lead-up to menopause can start to have an impact on women’s mental, physical and emotional health. Sleep disturbances, mood, cognitive and metabolic changes can impact quality of life significantly during perimenopause. Have a conversation with your GP about the potential for Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and its alternatives to smooth the transition through to menopause (also known as Hormone Replacement Therapy/HRT).
• Immunisations: Get a free whooping cough booster (also protects against tetanus and diphtheria) at age 45.

Ages 50–64

• Breast Screening: Continue until age 69 unless advised otherwise.
• Menopause Health: The average age of menopause in New Zealand is 51 years. When women lose the protective effects of oestrogen the risk of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections and auto-immune disorders increase. Speak to your GP about whether MHT could help with reducing menopausal symptoms as well as providing other health benefits.
• Bone Health: Osteoporosis is a condition where the honeycomb structure of bone becomes thin and brittle over time. If you are aged 50+ years or have reached menopause it is important to discuss your bone health with your doctor – if you have any risk factors you may need a bone density (DEXA) scan.
• Heart Health: Continue regular cardiovascular checks and manage cholesterol, blood pressure, and lifestyle factors.
• Diabetes screening: Women over the age of 55 (and every three to five years after that) are offered diabetes screening as part of a heart health check. This is a blood test that looks at average blood glucose levels over the previous two to three months to determine diabetes risk.
• Bowel Screening: Participate in the National Bowel Screening Programme from age 60 and age 58 from March 2026 (tests are every two years).

Ages 65–70+

• Breast & Cervical Screening: Continue until age 69 unless advised otherwise.
• Bone Health: Ongoing monitoring for osteoporosis and fall prevention.
• Vision Health: Regular checks to maintain independence and quality of life.
• Hearing health: Regular hearing checks become more important as we age. A number of studies have found a link between hearing loss and cognitive decline, indicating that untreated hearing loss is a potential risk factor for dementia.¹
• General Health: Review medications, mobility, and chronic condition management with your GP.
• Bowel Screening: National Bowel Screening is free until the age of 74.
• Immunisations: A yearly free flu vaccination is available from 65 years of age. The shingles vaccine as well as a whooping cough booster are also available at 65 years.

Lifestyle Tips for All Ages

• Don’t smoke
• Limit alcohol intake
• Eat a balanced, low-fat diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise daily—aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking. Don’t forget to add in weight/strength training – it increases bone density, builds muscle mass, enhances mental health, decreases the risk of falls and improves cardiovascular and metabolic health
• Stay connected socially and emotionally
• Relationship health – is the relationship you have with your intimate partner a healthy one? Are you safe – physically, emotionally, financially and mentally? Abusive relationships have long-term impacts on the overall health and wellbeing of a woman and her children. “Repeated exposure to physical violence, sexual violence, psychological abuse, controlling behaviour and economic abuse substantially increases the risk of ill health for women, in terms of both chronic physical disease, and mental health problems.”² Seek help and support early if your relationship with your intimate partner is abusive or violent.

For regular health checks visit your GP or healthcare professional.