National Women's Check-up Day - Here’s what you should do on National Women's Check-up Day. Read on for more facts and figures from National Today.

National Women's Check-up Day 2024 – May 13, 2024

National Women’s Check-up Day is celebrated on the second Monday in May. This year, the observance falls on May 8. It is a day set aside to remind women around the world about the importance of routine checkups as they sometimes can be the difference between detecting a medical condition or disease early and letting a condition worsen and become life-threatening. Routine checkups, over the years, have saved so many lives and would continue to do so. Women are advised on this day to schedule a checkup with a medical professional and make it a habit so they can live healthier lives.

History of National Women's Check-up Day

National Women’s Check-up Day was created by the United States Department of Health and Human Services to focus women’s attention on the importance of regular checkups in managing their health and living healthier lives. As women’s health is usually associated with their reproductive health, lots of medical experts around the world have called for the need to change the term ‘women’s health’ to ‘the health of women to achieve a broader focus on the health issues faced by women.’In the past, managing women’s health has not been an easy ride as men were being used for clinical trials and medical research in the prevention, management, and treatment of medical conditions. Since a man’s body and that of a woman is different, a one-size-fits-all approach was not sustainable and now women have been given more attention by being included in clinical trials and medical research. This ensures that women’s conditions get a treatment that is tailored to their bodies.A major milestone to help women’s health was when International women’s movements across the world started being established. In North America and across Europe, during the labor movements of the 20th century, women started demanding equality, and it trickled down to access to healthcare in which women were poorly represented.In the 1980s, the Women’s Health Movement took place intending to improve healthcare for all women and has contributed immensely to women’s health since then as they are given more attention than they used to receive. Catering to women’s health has improved but there’s still work to be done and National Women’s Check-up Day seeks to keep everyone in check, both medical professionals and the public, about it.

National Women's Check-up Day timeline

1916
The First Birth Control Clinic

Margaret Sanger establishes the first birth control clinic.

1969
Advancement in Breast Cancer Treatment

Technological advances are made in the treatment of Breast cancer as low-radiation mammograms are used.

1980s
Women’s Health Movement

The Women’s Health Movement takes place, intending to improve healthcare for all women.

2015
Top Ten

The World Health Organisation identifies the top ten women’s health issues.

National Women's Check-up Day FAQs

What is a mammogram?

It is an X-ray picture of the breast and is used by doctors to look for early signs of breast cancer.

Are Mammograms painful?

Some women may experience pain during the procedure while others may not feel anything at all.

What is the test to detect cervical cancer

A Pap smear is the most common test to check for early changes in cells that can lead to cervical cancer.

How to Observe National Women's Check-up Day

  1. Go for a screening

    Celebrate the day by going for a screening or checkup. This helps ensure you stay healthy and can detect any threatening medical condition early.

  2. Set a health goal

    Set a health goal to celebrate the day. Health goals keep people in check with their dieting and physical activity and are wonderful ways to stay healthy.

  3. Spread awareness

    Spread awareness about National Women's Check-up Day. The more people that know about the day and what it’s about, the better it is for women’s health in the world.

5 Interesting Facts About Women

  1. Women have stronger immune systems

    The female body is better at fighting off infections than the male because of the hormones they produce.

  2. Women have better memory

    Research has shown that women have stronger memory skills than men on average.

  3. They have better flexibility

    Their muscles and tendons contain more elastin than men’s, which gives their muscles a better ability to stretch.

  4. Women have better muscle endurance

    The presence of estrogen in women makes their muscles more resistant to fatigue and research has shown that in stamina-related exercises, women lasted about 75% longer than men.

  5. Better chances of surviving traumatic injuries

    This advantage of women lies in the higher levels of estrogen, which are suspected of having an immune-enhancing effect.

Why National Women's Check-up Day is Important

  1. It encourages a healthy lifestyle

    National Women's Check-up Day encourages a healthy lifestyle. Whether an individual chooses to eat healthier, exercise better, or just go for checkups, the person achieves a healthier lifestyle.

  2. It helps detect medical conditions early

    With the practice of going for checkups regularly, medical conditions are detected early. This can be the difference between life and death or permanent damage for some people.

  3. It reduces the cost of healthcare

    Detecting medical conditions early reduces the cost of treatment. National Women's Check-up Day seeks to achieve this along with its other objectives.

National Women's Check-up Day dates

Year Date Day
2022 May 9 Monday
2023 May 8 Monday
2024 May 13 Monday
2025 May 12 Monday
2026 May 11 Monday