5 Crucial Medical Test All Women Should Go Through

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1. Cervical cancer screening
What it is: Your old "friend," the Pap test , and a similar swab that tests for human pappilomavirus, or HPV

Who should get it: Women ages 21 to 65
How often: Every 3 years, or every 5 years if you're between the ages of 30 and 65 and get the HPV swab and the Pap together. The good news? You probably don't need the physical pelvic exam anymore.

2. Colorectal cancer screening
What it is: The dreaded colonoscopy
Who should get it: Adults ages 50 to 75. Those between ages 76 to 85 should discuss whether or not they should continue to be screened with their doctors.

How often: Every 10 years, assuming everything looks normal.

Why it's so important: As unpleasant as a colonoscopy can be, it's the best tool we have to pick up colon cancer or precancerous lesions or polyps early, says Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of New York University's Tisch Center for Women's Health. Women may underestimate their risk for the disease, but it's the third most common and most deadly cancer for women, behind breast and lung cancer, according to the CDC. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, your doctor might recommend starting screening earlier and going back more frequently than once a decade, Bhatia says.

3. Breast cancer screening
What it is: A mammogram
Who should get it: Women ages 50-74. Women between the ages of 40 and 49, as well as women 75 and older, should decide with their doctors about when to start and stop routine screening.

How often: Every other year, if you're at average risk. With a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, your doctor may recommend more frequent mammograms.

Why it's so important: As we've written about before, mammograms aren't perfect, but right now, they're the most effective tool we have for detecting breast cancer. "By catching breast cancer early, we can hopefully reduce cancer from spreading," Bhatia says.

4. Blood pressure test
What it is: A measurement of the blood coursing through your veins with that arm cuff you're used to

Who should get it: Adults 18 and older
How often: Once a year. Typically, this is done at an annual physical, which has itself become a bit controversial, Goldberg says. "I still think it's important, because I still see to many people who aren't taking good care of themselves," she says.

Why it's so important: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American women, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor. Getting screened means your doctor can make recommendations for your health based on the results, Goldberg says. If a blood pressure reading comes back on the border of normal and high, your doc might recommend diet and exercise changes.

5. Lipid panel
What it is: This blood test measures your total cholesterol: your "good" HDL cholesterol, your "bad" LDL cholesterol, and your triglycerides, another kind of fat in the blood. Triglyceride levels are affected most by what you've recently eaten, Goldberg says, which is why many cholesterol tests are done after a short period of fasting. In general, staving off snacks for 4 to 6 hours before your test should be fine, she says.

Who should get it: Definitely women age 45 and older if they have increased risk of heart disease, and probably women ages 20 to 45 who have an increased risk of heart disease , too. (The USPSTF gives an A grade to the evidence supporting the use of cholesterol tests in older women and a B grade for younger women.)

How often: Once a year, if you're healthy, to make sure there haven't been any changes for the worse, Bhatia says. Younger women may not need a yearly screening if they're healthy, Goldberg says.