Women's Health: Specialists For Women To See By Decade (INFOGRAPHIC)

Between constantly changing guidelines and a range of varying opinions (even among docs themselves!), it can be tricky to keep track of the medical exams you really need -- and when you need them.

Women are more likely than men to go to the doctor, but that doesn't mean they're getting better care. In fact, doctors are still likely to miss heart attacks in women, because the typical symptoms are different than those in men, and autoimmune disorders, more common in women than men, are notoriously hard to diagnose.

On the other hand, it's also possible to overdo it at the doctor's office. Earlier this year, research suggested docs may be ordering too many osteoporosis and ovarian cancer tests.

So how do you know when you should see a specialist? This infographic from Vitals packages all the must-know info into one handy list.

For more on women's health, click here.

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Comments

[goldy67]

07:42 AM on 05/21/2012

What's the message women over 60 should take from this simplistic and ageist chart? Don't bother? The 60's and 70's been left out? I suppose because women really do become invisible after 50, so no need to go to the doctor.

[av13]

06:54 AM on 05/21/2012

This is ridiculous ... Lots of evidence that hi cholesterol does not cause heart problems, vaccines don't work -- they just inject you with toxins, mammograms could be dangerous, etc.

[LFox6]

10:49 PM on 05/18/2012

Wonderful graphic! Printed it out on HP photo paper for both of my daughters! (One is in her 20's, the other in her 30's) And one for Mom as well lol

[av13]

06:56 AM on 05/21/2012

Please do yr research on mammograms, vaccines, and cholesterol before giving these to yr daughters ... You should find contradictory evidence.

[LFox6]

07:49 AM on 05/21/2012

Yes, you're right, I will do that!

[sweetpatriot]

01:55 AM on 05/18/2012

every year is important to check your vagina and boobs.

[April Pells]

08:42 PM on 05/17/2012

Wrong on the mamms. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mammogram-guidelines/AN02052

[Lily P]

09:52 AM on 05/21/2012

Wrong. Read down your link a bit. "At Mayo Clinic, the current practice is to continue to recommend an annual screening mammogram beginning at the age of 40, which aligns with the ACS recommendation."

PLEASE do not put such irresponsible posts on the internet. I have 2 friends that have stage 4 BC and are in their early 30's.

[Bianca S]

09:27 PM on 05/16/2012

This is going to sound like an ignorant question but are pelvic exams the same thing as getting an ultrasound for cysts on ovaries?

[SukiTheCat]

01:22 PM on 05/17/2012

I don't think so because when my sister was having irregular periods I thought they doc would give her a pap smear to check for cysts and whatnot, but they actually gave her an ultrasound, but I guess they can also feel around and see during a pap smear

[Bianca S]

01:57 PM on 05/17/2012

oh okay thanks!

[owlbeth]

04:38 PM on 05/16/2012

I disagree with the advice about TSH checks. Thyroid conditions can pop up at any time and have significant mood and health impact. I think TSH should be checked annually starting around the time puberty is expected. Even if levels are only marginally out of range and medication is not necessary, changes in diet can help to balance thyroid function before the condition worsens.

[Tukumek Young]

10:52 PM on 05/15/2012

and this female doctorin winchester er , thinks you get sprain to lumbar bones while sleeping , can anyone tell me if it is right , 3 spinal bones slipped and caused severe spinal nerve pains and all the y way to my right heal and could not sleep , sit , lay or anything . Missed to celebrate Thanksgiving 2010 because of that and went though spinal shock after 8 days bed rest , as I was trying to be up and about .Had been rehab walking till about 6 days before 11-20-10 and was able to walk again on Christmas very slow and just a little around the block .No one gives nacotic medication to sprain muscle , as mine was not muscline pain , it was nerves inside my spinal cord and discs .

[Jo Segarra]

10:52 PM on 05/15/2012

I believe it is important to do what feels right for YOU. Some of us are more comfortable trusting our bodies and Mother Nature, and no-one knows our bodies better than ourselves. I do expect to get jumped on, but I am a healthy woman in her late forties who has not had ANY of these recommended interferences, and neither have plenty of my healthy friends.

[french queen13]

10:30 PM on 05/19/2012

Same here.

[Tukumek Young]

10:30 PM on 05/15/2012

autoimmune disorder is easy to diagnose , as I had it 3 or 4 times sense I injured my spinal cord and discs , was giver medicin for it , but on 11-20-10 the doctor that had given me strong heart medication did not prescribe me any pills and egnored my spinal cord having berning pain and rest or ibubrofin did not help , spinal cord compartment where the nerves are and had rested for the 6 days before seing him , sent me home after x-ray and went back 11-24-10 to er , what are you doing here , 3 lumbar bone discs slipped why sleeping and she did not though the pain or check anything , severe spinal nerve pains and right leg nerve way down to heal , she did not care and sent me home without care with prescription for autoimmune and nerve pain pills that I toke every 1 hour , was not tramadol as it is in my report from er visit and muscle relaxant 3 x day , could not sit , lay down , walk . I went into spinal shock few times a day after a weeks bedrest , whan I tryed to start being up and could not sleep that much from spinal nerve pain . Winchester ER and they have my MRIs , they know and lied that autoimmune is hard to find .

[carol1027]

10:26 PM on 05/15/2012

Nothing about the 60's or even seventy's. I guess life does end at 59! If we wind up with the dreaded obama care package we may just as well end our lives at 59. I happen to be turning 70 before the end of this year. I am going for a colonoscopy tomorrow. I have already been told that this will be my last one. I don't need it anymore.I guess they think that I will no longer get colon cancer or if I do they will give me a pill and send me home to die. I'm just waiting to see what else they will take from me ( or all of us) before I die. What a way to treat a group of seniors advancing in age. When we need the health care the most. We will mean nothing to this government anymore especially if obama gets in again. He is the reason this is happening to us seniors. People had better open their eyes to what is going on in this country before it's to late. Carol

[brynk336]

01:18 PM on 05/16/2012

The Affordable Care Act (pejorative: Obamacare) actually has provisions for strengthening Medicare and provides important benefits such as free preventive services, free annual wellness visits, and a 50% discount on prescription drugs for Medicare recipients in the coverage gap known as the "donut hole." If it were up to the private health insurance companies and the Free Market, you would be booted from coverage completely due to the high cost of insuring seniors. The President's plan actually protects you and helps ensure that you get coverage. Check this page for more info and facts: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/index.html?filter=Seniors&query=%7B%22criteria%22%3A%5B%22site%20%3D%20'www.healthcare.gov'%22%2C%22perc%3Acategory%20LIKE%20'%2FSeniors%25'%22%2C%22perc%3Acontent_type%20%3D%20'rx:BasicPage'%22%5D%7D&title=Category%3A%20

I'm curious if the colonoscopy choice was that of Medicare saying they won't cover it or your doctor's choice not to do it on people over 80 (if you're 70 now, your next screening should be at 80). You should ask your doctor this question to clarify--if you don't like his/her answer, then you need to take control and switch doctors.

[LFox6]

10:50 PM on 05/18/2012

Good luck, Carol, sincerely!! I agree, when you see those 'best dressed' lists by the decade, they always end at 50 too!

[arthurfree]

09:43 PM on 05/15/2012

I find the article interesting in that women in the 40's and 50's all of a sudden do not need a medical doctor (at a time when chronic medical conditions become much more common). For the rationale behind every three year pap smears (caveat: this frequency is for women without a history of abnormal pap smear and no other risk factors) go to: http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspscerv.htm
Maybe the reason it doesn't go over the age of 50 is that past the reproductive years it is a new stable of specialists!

[JBEats]

07:05 PM on 05/16/2012

There is an Astrix under both the 20's & 30's that indicates appointments to continue in your 40's & 50's. each section is adding appoinments you should have at those ages in addition

[goldy67]

07:39 AM on 05/21/2012

This is a poorly-constructed chart. Since I am in my forties, I looked at that decade only, at first. I had to go up to the 20's to see that you have to continue with visits to those specialists every decade. It also fails to account for the plethora of issues women in their 40's and 50's have with peri-menopause and preventative measures that can be taken.

[vefiora]

07:17 PM on 05/15/2012

I was wondering also if life ended at 50! Believe me gals check-ups are VERY important, especially as you get older. Something doesn't look or sound right?........ get it checked out. Found three serious health issues over the years by forcing myself to call the doctor's office and got my tush in there to discuss it! Things can go wrong at any age. Learned right away to ask questions too!

[Tukumek Young]

10:38 PM on 05/15/2012

some doctor do not like coestions and test the wrong thing , like autoimmune disorder or acute and do not give the medication , then patient go back and another dr , give the medicine needed 4 days later , he was negletent , after telling him my symptom , new what I was talking about , did not care my spinal nerves inside my spinal cord comparment was in pain and over the counter meds was not helping or bed rest . I write down my symptoms and things to ask , but to no awail .

[MSMITHRIV]

06:10 PM on 05/15/2012

DOES LIVE END AT 50?

[dbrockskk1]

07:35 PM on 05/15/2012

You must mean "life".

[belldn3]

04:46 PM on 05/15/2012

You'll can come see me at any age.

[lizp33558]

04:58 AM on 05/16/2012

lol.....