---
title: "Breast Screening Age by Country: Mammogram Ages Compared"
description: "Breast screening age by country: who is invited, from what age, how often and with which test in 25 countries, each linked to its official programme."
url: https://breastcancer-charity.org/breast-screening-by-country/
robots: noindex
---

# Breast Screening Age by Country: Mammogram Ages Compared

Data snapshot 2026.10 · published 22 October 2026 · CC BY 4.0

Breast screening rules differ a lot between countries. This table shows who is invited, from what age, how often and with which test, with a link to each official programme and the date we checked it.

## Quick answer

Most programmes in this table start routine breast screening at 50, and most screen every two years. The UK nations invite women aged 50 to 70 every three years. The US recommends a mammogram every two years from 40 to 74. India and Indonesia start at 30 with a clinical breast examination instead.

Noticed a breast change? Do not wait for a screening invitation. See a GP or doctor. Read [breast cancer symptoms](https://breastcancer-charity.org/about-breast-cancer/breast-cancer-symptoms/).

Countries covered 25 29 programmes and guidelines Most common starting age 50 among programmes with a set age range Most common interval every 2 years among programmes with a set interval Start at 40 or younger 7 countries for at least one programme or guideline in the table

## Who is invited to breast screening in the UK?

All four UK nations invite women from 50 every three years. England invites women up to their 71st birthday; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland say 50 to 70. Women above the upper age can ask for an appointment.

| Country and programme | Who and ages | How often | Test | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| England NHS Breast Screening Programme Organised invitation |
| Scotland Scottish Breast Screening Programme Organised invitation |
| Wales Breast Test Wales (Public Health Wales) Organised invitation |
| Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Breast Screening Programme (Public Health Agency) Organised invitation |

## At what age does breast screening start in Europe?

Most European programmes invite women from 50 to 69 or 74 every two years. Sweden starts at 40, and Poland and Portugal at 45. Germany and Spain have approved wider age ranges, Italy has funded one, and Norway is considering one.

| Country and programme | Who and ages | How often | Test | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ireland BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme (HSE) Organised invitation |
| France Programme national de dépistage organisé du cancer du sein Organised invitation |
| Germany Mammographie-Screening-Programm Organised invitation (written invitations from regional central offices) |
| Italy Screening mammografico (organised programme run by the regions) Organised invitation (personal letter from the local health authority) |
| Spain Programa de cribado poblacional de cáncer de mama (National Health System) Organised invitation (run by the autonomous communities) |
| Netherlands Bevolkingsonderzoek borstkanker (national screening programme) Organised invitation |
| Belgium Regional programmes: Bevolkingsonderzoek Borstkanker (Flanders), Mammotest (Wallonia and Brussels) Organised invitation (run by each region) |
| Sweden National breast cancer screening programme (free by law) Organised invitation (by each region) |
| Norway Mammografiprogrammet Organised invitation |
| Denmark National breast cancer screening programme Organised invitation (regions invite by Digital Post) |
| Finland Rintasyöpäseulonta (statutory national programme) Organised invitation |
| Poland Program profilaktyki raka piersi (breast cancer prevention programme) National programme, mostly open access: book without a referral |
| Portugal Programa de Rastreio de base populacional do Cancro da Mama Organised invitation |

## What are the screening ages in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand?

The US has a national recommendation rather than an invitation programme, and screening in Canada is run by each province. Australia and New Zealand invite women every two years.

| Country and programme | Who and ages | How often | Test | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| National recommendation USPSTF breast cancer screening recommendation (final, 30 April 2024) Recommendation (no invitation programme) |
| National guidance Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, 2024 draft (archived) Guideline only: provinces and territories run screening |
| Ontario Ontario Breast Screening Program (Ontario Health) Provincial programme: self-referral, no doctor's referral needed |
| Australia BreastScreen Australia Organised invitation |
| New Zealand BreastScreen Aotearoa (Health New Zealand) Organised invitation (email, text or letter) |

## How does breast screening work in Asia?

Japan and South Korea offer mammograms every two years from 40. India and Indonesia offer a clinical breast examination by a health worker from 30, with ultrasound where needed, rather than a mammogram.

| Country and programme | Who and ages | How often | Test | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| India Population-based screening under NP-NCD (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) Community outreach at primary care |
| Indonesia Cek Kesehatan Gratis (free health check), Ministry of Health decree 84/2026 Free annual check at community health centres, booked by app or walk-in |
| Japan Municipal breast cancer screening (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare guideline) Population-based municipal programme; invitations vary by municipality |
| South Korea National Cancer Screening Program Organised: the national insurer sends eligibility notices |
| Singapore Healthier SG Screening (formerly Screen for Life) National subsidised programme; women book their own mammogram |
| Malaysia Clinical breast examination (Ministry of Health) and LPPKN mammogram subsidy Opportunistic: no national invitation programme |
| Philippines PhilHealth breast cancer screening standards (Circular 2025-0024) Offered by accredited primary care doctors; risk-based |

## Why do screening ages differ between countries?

- Starting age: most programmes here start at 50. Sweden, Japan and South Korea start at 40, as does the US recommendation, and Poland, Portugal and New Zealand start at 45. India and Indonesia offer a clinical breast examination from 30.
- How often: every 2 years is the most common interval. The four UK nations screen every 3 years, Indonesia's free health check is yearly, and India's clinical examination is every 5 years. Sweden and Finland set a range in months.
- Invitation or recommendation: the UK nations and most European programmes send invitations. The US has a national recommendation rather than a programme, screening in Canada is run by each province, and some programmes rely on people booking themselves.
- Upper age: from 65 to 75, with no upper limit in Japan or South Korea. Some countries are raising it: Germany moved to 75 in 2024, and New Zealand is moving to 74 by 2029.
- Test: almost every programme uses mammography. Portugal has made 3D tomosynthesis its main test, France adds a clinical breast examination, and India and Indonesia use a clinical breast examination with ultrasound where needed.
- Breast density: Japan will report breast density on every result from April 2027, and several Australian states have started reporting it.

For what screening involves in the UK, read our [breast screening guide](https://breastcancer-charity.org/about-breast-cancer/breast-cancer-screening/). For dense breast tissue, see [dense breasts](https://breastcancer-charity.org/about-breast-cancer/dense-breasts-and-breast-cancer/).

## How was this table made?

- We chose the four UK nations, the main English-speaking countries, the largest EU countries, the Nordic programmes and major programmes in Asia, including Indonesia.
- For each, we read the official programme, health ministry or guideline page, in the original language where needed, and recorded who is invited, the age range, the interval and the test.
- Where a country has no national programme, we show the national recommendation and, for Canada, one provincial programme as an example.
- Where official pages disagree, we used the programme's own page and noted the difference in the row.
- Where an official site blocked automated access, we used the programme's own leaflet or another page from the same government. The source column names the page we used.

Rows were checked between 22 October 2026 and 22 October 2026. Report an error or a change on our [corrections page](https://breastcancer-charity.org/corrections/).

## What this table cannot tell you

- This table shows routine screening for women at average risk. Women at high risk, for example with a strong family history, are offered different checks that this table does not cover.
- An age range is not a promise of an invitation. Coverage, waiting times and costs differ within countries.
- In countries where provinces or regions run screening, local ages and intervals can differ from the national rule shown.
- Screening is for people without symptoms. A new breast change should be checked by a doctor straight away, whatever your age.
- Rules change. We checked each row on the date shown, and the official page in each row always wins.
- This is a compilation by Breast Cancer Charity, not official guidance, and not advice about whether you should be screened.

## Download and cite this table

[Download CSV (29 rows)](https://breastcancer-charity.org/data/breast-screening-by-country-2026.csv) [Download JSON](https://breastcancer-charity.org/data/breast-screening-by-country-2026.json) [Breast cancer statistics 2026](https://breastcancer-charity.org/breast-cancer-statistics-2026/) [All open datasets](https://breastcancer-charity.org/open-data/)

Licence: [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). You can reuse the table with credit. Programmes change, so cite the official page in each row and the date it was checked.

Suggested citation Breast Cancer Charity (2026). Breast screening by country: ages, intervals and tests. Data snapshot 2026.10, published 22 October 2026. https://breastcancer-charity.org/breast-screening-by-country/

Suggested wording In Breast Cancer Charity's October 2026 table of 25 countries, 19 of 29 breast screening programmes and guidelines start at age 50, and 7 countries offer screening from age 40 or younger.

## Questions about breast screening by country

## Breast screening by country: common questions

At what age does breast screening start in the UK? All four UK nations invite women from age 50, every 3 years. England invites women up to their 71st birthday; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland say 50 to 70. Women above the upper age are not invited but can ask their local service for an appointment. At what age should I get a mammogram in the US? The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends a screening mammogram every 2 years for women aged 40 to 74 (final recommendation, April 2024). For women 75 and over it says the evidence is insufficient, so the decision is made with a clinician. Which countries start breast screening at 40? In this table, Sweden, Japan and South Korea offer routine mammograms from 40, and the US recommends them every 2 years from 40. Ontario lets women self-refer from 40, and Australia lets women aged 40 to 49 book without an invitation. Poland, Portugal and New Zealand start at 45. How often is breast screening in different countries? Every 2 years is the most common interval in this table. The UK nations screen every 3 years, the Netherlands has temporarily stretched its interval to up to 3 years, Indonesia's free health check is yearly, and India's clinical breast examination is every 5 years. Can I get screened if I am outside the age range? Often, yes, but rules differ. In the UK, women above the upper age can ask their local service. In Australia, women aged 40 to 49 and 75 and over can book a free mammogram without an invitation. If you notice a breast change, see a doctor whatever your age.