Female Check-Up Checklist
A concise overview of useful check-up examinations and blood values for women.
Do you still want to be travelling the world at 65? Do you want to be the cool grandmother with strong biceps who can lift her grandchildren with one hand? Maybe you want to run a half marathon? There's plenty of time for all that in old age!
To ensure that you grow old healthily and stay fit, you should regularly keep an eye on your most important health values and attend check-ups. Prevention is better than finding a cure, and so the sooner symptoms are recognised, the better they can be remedied. Regular check-ups are an important investment in your health, allowing you to take targeted action against any deficiencies.
Check-up for women - what tests are available?
The following tests and screenings depend on your age, condition, symptoms and your own and your family's medical history. We summarise the available diagnostic procedures here for your guidance. Please clarify the costs and cost coverage with your doctor or health insurance provider in advance.
For most check-up examinations, it is recommended that they be carried out once a year. Discuss the frequency you need with your doctor.
CLASSIC CHECK-UP (GENERAL PRACTITIONER)
- Interview (medical history)
- Tests: you should have a comprehensive blood and urine test once a year - or more often if you have symptoms. We'll give you some parameters for this down below.
- Blood pressure measurement
- Body values (weight, body composition e.g. with bioimpedance analysis, abdominal circumference)
- Cardiovascular status: resting ECG, exercise ECG
- Examination of the organs (incl. thyroid gland), if necessary the vessels (ultrasound)
- Vaccination booster
- Pulmonary function test (for pre-existing conditions or smokers)
SPECIALIST CHECK-UPS
- Breast cancer screening: palpation, examination with mammography, ultrasound or MRI. By the way: always do a monthly palpation yourself. You can ask your gynaecologist to show you how to do this.
- Uterine cancer screening: PAP test (smear test) at the gynaecologist
- Osteoporosis / osteopenia (preliminary stage of osteoporosis): A bone density measurement using a DXA scan, short for "Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry". The check-up frequency will change according to your risk profile, which you can determine immediately with the FRAX online questionnaire.
- Ovarian cancer: palpation and ultrasound at the gynaecologist
- Skin cancer: check-up by a dermatologist and regular self-observation for changes in size, colour and shape - if in doubt, photograph the skin area and observe any changes.
- Bowel cancer: after breast cancer, bowel cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women. Colonoscopy tests start from around 50 years of age - earlier if there is an increased risk (previous illnesses, family history).
- Eyes: eye test, eye pressure measurement
Preparation for the check-up
An important part of a check-up is the discussion with your doctor. The following topics should be discussed - prepare yourself and proactively address what your doctor does not ask.
- Your family medical history (incl. intolerances, sensitivities)
- Your state of health, condition, any complaints
- What are your symptoms: tiredness, stress tolerance, susceptibility to infections, sleep disorders, depression, declining desire/libido, ability to concentrate, cycle disorders, menopausal symptoms, PMS, water retention, weight gain, bone and joint problems? Use the checklist to prepare for your visit to the doctor.
- Questions about your lifestyle: sport, diet, alcohol, smoking, medication, dietary supplements, special circumstances in your private or professional environment
Which blood values are analysed during the check-up?
The classic blood count (small or large) measures general blood values. These show whether you are healthy or perhaps ill. This is important and good. It is also good to know whether your body is getting everything it needs. Does it have all the vitamins, minerals and trace elements? Are your hormones in balance
Discuss with your doctor which of these values make sense for you, your age, your symptoms and your medical history!
1. BASIC PARAMETERS: GENERAL BLOOD VALUES (SMALL OR LARGE BLOOD COUNT)
Small blood count
- Erythrocytes (RBC / ERY) - transport of oxygen, carbon dioxide
- Leukocytes (WBC / LEUK) - body's own defence system
- Thrombocytes (PLT / THRO) - blood clotting
- Haemoglobin (HGB / HG) - blood pigment / indication of iron
- Haematocrit (HCT / HKT) - thickness of the blood
Large blood count (additional)
Neutrophil granulocytes, eosinophil granulocytes, basophil granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes
Blood lipid values
- Total cholesterol: ideal values <200 mg/dl
- LDL cholesterol: normal <160 mg/dl
- HDL cholesterol: normal >45, better >65 mg/dl
- Quotient LDL / HDL: <3 = target value | 3-5 = increasing risk | >5 = high risk
- Triglycerides: <200 mg/dl, better <149 mg/dl
Blood sugar values
- Glucose(blood sugar): 65-99 mg/dL
- HbA1C (hemoglobin): Inference of blood glucose level of the last 8-12 weeks, 4.5 - 6 % total hemoglobin
Further values
- Blood coagulation: Quick, INR, PTT
- Liver + bile: alkaline phosphatase, gamma-GT GOT, GPT, bilirubin
- Kidneys + gout: creatinine, GFR, urea, uric acid
- Pancreas: alpha-amylase, lipase
- Protein: total protein, albumin, alpha1-globulin, alpha2-globulin, beta-globulin, gamma globulin
- Inflammation markers: CRP (c-reactive protein), erythrocyte sedimentation rate
- Oxidative stress
2. ADDITIONAL PARAMETERS
Vitamins
- Vitamin D - measurement of 25-OH-vitamin D and ideally also free D3: bones (in combination with calcium), muscles, immune system
- Folic acid (vitamin B9): cell division, tissue and blood formation
- Vitamin B12: cell growth, cell division, blood formation
- Possibly also vitamin B1, vitamin B6
Minerals, trace elements
- Iron status: iron, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation - oxygen supply and performance. Particularly important in perimenopause/menopause with heavy menstrual bleeding
- Sodium and potassium: heart rhythm, water balance and nerve impulse conduction
- Calcium: muscle contraction and bone stability
- Magnesium: muscle relaxation, stress and sleep
- Zinc: immune system, wound healing, anti-inflammation
- Iodine: thyroid health, iodine saturation test
- Selenium: Neutralisation of free radicals (antioxidant)
Sex hormones
- Oestrogens - E1: estrone (oestrone), E2: estradiol (oestradiol), E3: estriol, free (oestriol)
- Progesterone - ideal estrogen / progesterone ratio: 1:100
- Follicle stimulating hormone - FSH
- Lutenizing horm one - LH
- SHBG: Binding protein - Sex Hormone Binding Globulin
- Testosterone: muscles, libido
Thyroid hormones
- TSH - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: stimulates the thyroid gland
- Free T3: Regulates thyroid activity (active)
- Free T4: Storage form of the thyroid hormone
If necessary, other values such as reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies: TAK, TPO, TRAK
Further values
- Omega 3 index test: provides information about fatty acid ratios such as omega 3 fats to omega 6 fats in the body
- Blood sugar / diabetes risk test: One value for estimating possible insulin resistance is the HOMA-index, a blood test conducted after 12 hours of no eating, which calculates the fasting insulin and fasting glucose concentration. With a HOMA index of up to 2, insulin resistance is rather unlikely. Values of 2.0 - 2.5 are an indication of possible insulin resistance, from 2.5 - 5.0 insulin resistance is probable and > 5.0 are typical values for type 2 diabetics.
- Gut microbiome analysis: examination of the stool
- Stress hormones: DHEA, cortisol
- Anti Müllerian hormone - AMH: fertility diagnostics, determination of the number of eggs present, correlates with the function of the ovaries
- Pregnenolone: precursor hormone to progesterone and DHEA, important for oestrogen production: determination in luteal phase approx. 6-7 days after ovulation.
- Amino acid profile
- Structural proteins, e.g. collagen
TIPS FOR THE CHECK-UP:
- Discuss your test results with your doctor. The standard values in the laboratory evaluations apply to "average people". Your individual situation may differ. And not every small increase in a value has a disease value!
- Have all findings explained to you, given to you or sent to you - for your own observation over time or in case you change practices.
- Ideally, your annual values should always be tested by the same laboratory.
