[sidebar] The only problem: Many women don’t go in for their initial evaluation. “Once you hit menopause or go 6-12 months without a menstrual cycle, every woman should go get a bone density test,” says Felicia Cosman, MD, Senior Clinical Director of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. But many women neglect to do just that. In fact, a 2008 study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that only 30% of women in their mid-sixties had undergone a bone scan. As a result of low bone scan rates, a large percentage women do not realize that they are at risk for osteoporosis until they break a bone. (Do you know the symptoms of osteoporosis? Find out here.) Osteoporosis-related fractures are very serious, leading to pain, disability, and, in the case of a broken hip, a 20% increased risk of dying within the following year. That’s why it is crucial to go in for that initial scan. And unlike other medical tests, there’s not much to stress about: It’s covered by insurance, done in minutes, and completely pain-free. More from Prevention: 12 Ways To Break-Proof Your Bones
