Health tips for women in their 30s

With age, changes in how your body functions are bound to happen. These changes are likely to affect a number of aspects of your health. Here are a few changes women in their 30s will notice during the decade.

Due to ageing, lifestyle factors and gender, women in their 30s are actually at risk of developing multiple health issues. The onset of these problems depends on how well you’ve been taking care of yourself in your 20s, but genetics and ageing play a huge role too. So, some of these issues are easily avoidable, and manageable if you are indeed diagnosed with them. Some problems, like miscarriage, heart disease and cancer, are bound to get worse with age. Here are the diseases you should beware of in your 30s.

• High blood pressure: Often called a silent killer, hypertension or high blood pressure can often show mild or no symptoms. According to John Hopkins Medicine, 7% women between the ages of 20 and 34 years have hypertension without realising it. It might show up especially during pregnancy, with gestational hypertension. If left untreated, hypertension can affect the heart, kidneys, blood vessels and the brain.
• Diabetes: Just like hypertension, you could have diabetes and not know it at all. Obesity is a leading cause of diabetes in your 30s, and so are unhealthy eating habits. Maintaining a balanced diet and cutting off sugar, processed food and junk food is of vital importance if you want to avoid diabetes.
• Obesity: Your metabolic rate is low, muscle loss and bone density loss are both starting - these are enough to make you gain weight. If you have hormonal imbalance, high cholesterol and other issues, chances of obesity are higher still. It’s best not to take obesity and weight gain lightly because it can cause other issues like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
• Stroke: While older women are at a much higher risk of strokes, John Hopkins Medicine reveals that there is a 32% rise in strokes among women between 18 and 34 years of age. This is because the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases have increased among millennial women, Further, being pregnant or on contraceptive pills also increases the risk of strokes among women.
• Miscarriage: The later you get pregnant, the higher the risk of miscarriage. Women trying to get pregnant in their 30s might have to deal with recurrent miscarriages, infertility, ectopic pregnancy and other issues too.
• Cancer: Unfortunately, it’s never too early to get cancer and women of all ages are at risk of breast cancer. Of course, having a genetic history of cancer makes the risks much higher for women in their 30s.
• Autoimmune diseases: A study published in Emerging Infectious Diseases in 2004 revealed that 8% of the world’s population suffers from autoimmune diseases, and 78% of that population is female. Apart from genetic factors, autoimmune diseases can be triggered by infections, and women in their 20s and 30s are especially susceptible to those - especially if they’re sexually active with multiple partners or lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Early diagnosis can make the management of autoimmune diseases easier.

Establishing a relationship with a good doctor is very important for women in their 30s. Not only can this help you figure out what health issues you’re at greater risk of, but it can also make it easier for you to avoid and manage them. There are a number of tests and screening that are recommended to women in their 30s, and these are apart from tests during pregnancy. Here are some of the tests you should get done regularly if you’re in your 30s, and more often if you’re particularly at risk.

• Blood pressure: It’s fine to get your blood pressure tested once or twice a year if you’re healthy, but if your BP is at or above 120-80 you should get it checked more often. The same goes for low BP, especially if you have anemia.
• Cholesterol: You should get a complete lipid profile done once every three to five years. But if you already have a cholesterol issue then this test should be conducted more often, as per your doctor’s recommendation.
• Breast exam: You should conduct a breast self-exam at least once every month. While in your 30s, you can get a clinical breast exam done once in three years, unless you’re at risk.
• Dental exam: Professional tooth cleaning is very important to avoid dental health problems, so you should visit a dentist once every six months or at least once a year. This can also help you understand if you have tooth decay or substantial bone loss.
• Diabetes screening: If you’re healthy, you don’t need to get a diabetes screening until you’re 45 years old. But it’s best to consult your doctor to find out if you’re at risk and need to get this screening done while in your 30s. 
• Eye exam: You should get a complete eye exam done at least twice in your 30s, unless you have vision problems, a family history of eye problems, eye injury or infections, or diabetes. If you have any of these issues, eye exams should be conducted more often.
• Pelvic exam: All women above the age of 18 years, especially sexually active ones, should get a pelvic exam done at least once a year. These can help reveal if you have any uterine abnormalities or other issues.
• Pap test: You should get a pap smear or pap test done at least once every three years. It’s best to get an HPV test done once every five years too. These can reveal if you’re at risk of cervical cancer. If you have multiple sexual partners, HIV/AIDS, weakened immune system or a history of abnormal growths, it’s best to get the pap test done more often according to the recommendation of your doctor.
• Thyroid test: You should get your thyroid function tested at the age of 35 years, and once every five years from there onwards. However, if you have a family history of hypothyroidism, it’s best to get tested once every year or two.
• Skin check: The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you get your skin tested by a dermatologist at least once every year to ensure you don’t have skin cancer or other issues like eczema. If you have a history of skin diseases or infections, this screening should be done more often at the discretion of your dermatologist.
• STD screening: Getting checked for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is very important in your 30s, especially if you have multiple sex partners or have a history of diseases like chlamydia, gonorrhea, etc.