As the year draws to a close, now’s the perfect time to pause — take stock of your health and your benefits. If you have access to an FSA (Flexible Spending Account) or HSA (Health Savings Account), you’ve got a unique chance to turn unused healthcare dollars into meaningful care for your body and mind — before those funds expire or go unused.

We’re not here to overwhelm or pressure you, we’re here to help you make sure the money you’ve already set aside actually supports your wellbeing. From annual checkups and lab work to therapy and hormone testing, there are countless ways to invest in yourself before year-end. Think of this as your go-to women’s health checklist to help you finish the year strong — informed, proactive, and ready for what’s next.

Why now? Your FSA/HSA countdown

Many FSA plans come with a “use-it-or-lose-it” rule — meaning any funds you don’t spend by the end of the plan year could vanish. HSAs are a bit more forgiving since the balance rolls over, but even then, it pays to plan ahead.

Those pre-tax dollars you’ve been setting aside can do far more than cover your next doctor’s visit. They can be used for mental health support, fertility and hormone testing, sexual health consultations, and other services that often get overlooked. If you don’t use them before the deadline, you’re not just leaving money on the table — you’re missing a chance to invest directly in your wellbeing.

Using your benefits now doesn’t mean you’ll fall behind on next year’s care. In fact, getting ahead with screenings, lab work, or therapy sessions now helps you start the new year feeling supported and one step ahead. So, let’s dive into what your end-of-year women’s health checklist could look like — always in partnership with your healthcare provider, because your body and needs are uniquely yours.

How often should you have a well-woman check?

A “well-woman visit” typically refers to a preventive care check-in with your provider to review your health, risks, screens, immunizations, and ask questions. According to the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) and related guidelines, it’s recommended that women have at least one preventive visit per year beginning in adolescence and continuing across the lifespan.

What your annual visit includes can look a little different for everyone. Your age, reproductive goals, health history, and risk factors all shape what’s most important to check in on. For some, that means keeping up with routine screenings and bloodwork. For others, it might mean extra visits with a specialist — especially if you’re focused on fertility, recovering from pregnancy, navigating perimenopause, or managing ongoing menstrual or sexual health concerns.

As the year wraps up, it’s worth booking your preventive visit and asking your provider if there’s anything else you should prioritize before your benefits reset — whether that’s lab work, a referral, or a mental health check-in. Securing those appointments now ensures you’re using your benefits fully, rather than letting them slip away.

What bloodwork should I get done as a woman?

For women 25-45, baseline bloodwork helps you catch changes early, optimise fertility or hormonal health, and set a marker for future comparisons. Here are key panels and what they tell you — discuss with your provider which make sense based on your stage of life.

Suggested bloodwork (for general health and reproductive/hormonal context) includes:

Your provider may suggest additional specialists labs depending on your personal context (e.g., repeat pregnancy loss, high-risk fertility, perimenopause symptoms). Using your FSA/HSA for labs now means you can use your pre-tax dollars for these tests rather than waiting until next year.

Other year-end health checks for women: By life stage

Every stage of life brings its own version of “routine care.” What matters most in your 20s may shift dramatically by your 30s or 40s — and that’s completely normal. As hormones, goals, and priorities evolve, so should your health checklist. Whether you’re focused on fertility, navigating postpartum recovery, or easing into perimenopause, here’s how to make the most of your year-end benefits in a way that fits where you are right now.

Menstrual health

Menstrual health is far more than “just your period.” Irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, painful periods, or skipped cycles — all of these warrant check-ins.

What could be covered:

  • List your cycle history (length, regularity, flow, pain, PMS symptoms) and bring it to your provider.
  • Consider labs: Thyroid, prolactin, iron, ferritin (if heavy bleeding), hormone panel (if irregular).
  • Rule out underlying conditions (e.g., PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis) if applicable.
  • Mental health check: Chronic menstrual issues impact wellbeing and should be addressed.
  • Review benefit usage: If you need specialist pelvic care, therapies, pain-management consultations — your FSA/HSA may cover them (if medically necessary and documented).

Sexual health

Sexual health is often neglected in preventive care, but it’s integral to your wellbeing, reproductive goals, and relationships.

What could be covered:

  • STI screening based on your risk factors (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, hepatitis C) as recommended.
  • Review contraception status (if applicable) — whether you’re planning pregnancy or spacing.
  • Check for sexual pain, dryness, desire changes — these could indicate hormonal shifts, pelvic floor concerns, or other treatable issues.
  • Mental/emotional aspect: Sexual health intersects with mood, self-image, relationship dynamics. Therapy qualifies under your benefits.

Try­ing to conceive and infertility

If you’re actively trying to conceive or have experienced infertility, your health check-in may include extra pieces — and your year-end benefit strategy becomes even more vital.

Fertility work often takes time — baseline labs, waiting for results, scheduling specialists. By booking now, you get momentum going and don’t let your benefit dollars sit unused. Also, the emotional toll of trying and waiting can impact mental health — budgeting in therapy now is both pragmatic and supportive.

What could be covered:

  • A fertility consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist, including baseline ultrasound and hormone testing
  • Guidance on lifestyle, nutrition, and pre-conception supplements that support fertility safely
  • Follow-up investigations after pregnancy loss, such as a clotting panel, karyotyping, or immunology work-up
  • Emotional and mental health support through therapy for stress, grief, or anxiety — fully eligible for FSA/HSA use

Pregnancy loss

Experiencing pregnancy loss is deeply personal and often overlooked in routine health checklists — but it matters. Care after loss should include physical recovery, emotional wellbeing, and future-planning.

What could be covered:

  • Post-loss physical exam, labs (thyroid, antiphospholipid screen if indicated, CBC, iron) — to reset baseline.
  • Mental health support: Grief counselling, trauma-informed therapy. FSA/HSA funds apply.
  • Discuss timing and planning for next steps (fertility specialist, OB/GYN).
  • Nutrition and lifestyle review: Bone health, supported healing, vitamin levels.

Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant or parenting a baby, the year-end check isn’t just about you — but also about ensuring your health supports theirs (and your own).

What could be covered:

  • First-trimester baseline (if still early): Bloodwork, prenatal vitamins, thyroid, iron.
  • If postpartum: Check-in around 6-12 weeks on recovery, mood (postpartum depression/anxiety), physical health (pelvic floor, postpartum labs).
  • Vaccinations: Flu shot (annual), pertussis (if pregnant), others as needed.
  • Mental health: Perinatal mood disorders are common but under-screened. Therapy is eligible for FSA/HSA.
  • Consider sleep, nutrition, movement habits: Your benefit dollars can cover some specialist services (physical therapy, pelvic floor therapy) if medically necessary.
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Perimenopause and menopause

Transitioning into perimenopause or menopause can bring shifts in hormones, mood, bone health, and more. Even if you haven’t begun full menopause, early check-ins set you up.

What could be covered:

  • Review symptom history (hot flashes, irregular periods, mood changes) with your provider for early intervention.
  • Bone-health labs (e.g., DEXA scan possibly) and vitamin D/calcium review.
  • Cardio risk review: Lipids, blood pressure, glucose — as risk begins to climb with age.
  • Mental health and sexual health: Changes in hormones can impact libido, vaginal health, mood — these are valid and treatable. Use your benefits for therapy or specialist consult.
  • Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) discussion if relevant, and associated labs if you begin.

How to use your FSA/HSA for this checklist

Here are some practical steps to ensure you make the most of your benefit dollars before the calendar flips:

  • Check your plan details now: Confirm your plan’s deadline for spending, whether there is a grace period or rollover (for FSAs), and what types of services are eligible.
  • Prioritise your spend: Choose services or labs you’ve been delaying. If you’re uncertain, focus on the ones with the greatest impact for your life stage.
  • Schedule appointments this month: Many providers book weeks out, so get ahead. Locks you in and ensures year-end usage.
  • Keep detailed receipts/documentation: Especially for labs, therapy, specialist visits — your plan may require proof of medical necessity.
  • Consider therapy or mental-health services now: Emotional wellness is healthcare. Therapy is eligible and often under-used in benefit planning.
  • Use your FSA/HSA debit card (if available) or submit a claim promptly. Don’t let money vanish because you missed the deadline.

Why this matters — for your body and mind

Healthcare often focuses on physical labs or screens. But your mental and emotional health matter just as much. Studies show that preventive visits, labs and early interventions improve outcomes.

And FSA/HSA-eligible therapy means you have access to mental-health support without waiting or paying out-of-pocket badly. Your benefit dollars can fund your emotional wellness alongside your physical check-ups.

How to plan your FSA/HSA usage by the end of the year

As you close out this year, use your benefits wisely. Here’s a quick action plan:

  1. Open your benefits portal and check your FSA/HSA balance and deadlines.
  2. Schedule your annual well-woman visit (even if you feel “fine”).
  3. Decide on 1-2 additional items from this checklist based on your life stage (e.g., hormone lab, fertility consult, therapy session).
  4. Aim to book them for this calendar year. Secure the care now.
  5. Keep all receipts and documentation — upload or save them immediately.
  6. Use your FSA/HSA to pay (or file for reimbursement) and consider starting any ongoing treatments or therapy so you’re covered now and ahead for next year.

Taking care of your health now is an act of future you — the stronger, calmer, more balanced version you’re building toward. And from menstrual health to perimenopause, fertility to postpartum and beyond, you deserve care that honours every chapter. You’ve got benefit dollars sitting there for your use — turn them into time with your provider, clarity from labs, emotional support, and peace of mind.

Use your FSA or HSA dollars before year-end to invest in your physical and mental health. Here’s to you — your health, your benefits, and your empowered next chapter.

Tassia O'Callaghan is an experienced women's health content writer and SEO content strategist, having written for brands like Peanut App Ltd, Scary Mommy, Inspire the Mind, Fertility Mapper, Tally Workspace, Fyxer, and Office Christmas. She is an advocate for realistic sustainable living, supporting small businesses (author of A-Z of Marketing for Small Businesses), and equity across all walks of life. Follow her on LinkedIn or TikTok, or see more of her work on Authory or her website.