Preventative Screenings for Women and Related Nursing Care

Preventative health care refers to screenings that can identify diseases in the early stages, so they can be treated promptly. Common preventative screenings for patients assigned female at birth include mammograms for breast cancer and Papanicolaou, or Pap, tests for cervical cancer.

Mammograms screen for breast cancer and involve taking X-rays of the breasts. Patients typically start mammograms around age 45 to 50 but can be started earlier or later, depending on risk factors, like a positive family history of breast cancer or certain genetic mutations, like BRCA1 or BRCA2.

When taking care of your patient who's having a mammogram, reinforce teaching about the procedure. Explain how it involves compressing the breast tissue between two plates while an X-ray is taken. Reassure them that the procedure uses a very low dose of radiation and that it causes brief discomfort. Also let them know that they can schedule their mammogram after their menstrual period when their breasts are less swollen and sensitive. Lastly, remind them to avoid wearing deodorant, lotions, or powder on the day of their mammogram, since these can cause white spots on the X-ray.

Screening for cervical cancer involves the Pap test, which screens for cervical cancer by swabbing the cervix during a pelvic examination and looking for abnormal cervical cells. Testing for human papillomavirus, or HPV, can also be done to detect strains of HPV, including the high-risk strains that may cause cervical cancer. When Pap and HPV tests are done together, it's known as co-testing. The recommended age for cervical cancer screening can vary but typically begins around age 21 and is done every three to five years, depending on history, risk factors, and results of previous screenings.