The American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine have jointly released a landmark publication that redefines heart health for girls and women, according to an announcement distributed via NEWMEDIAWIRE. The three manuscripts, published in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation, represent the first coordinated, multi-society framework to prevent, detect, and manage cardiovascular disease in women across their lifespan.
The publication introduces a "Female Life Stage" framework that divides a woman's life into four distinct stages based on hormonal changes: perimenarche (ages 8-15), ovarian cycling (ages 15-44), perimenopause (ages 45-51), and postmenopause (51 and older). Pregnancy is recognized as a biological "stress test" that can occur at any stage and may reveal previously unrecognized cardiovascular risks. The framework emphasizes a holistic approach that considers cardiovascular, hormonal, and emotional health together.
This matters because cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming more than 400,000 lives in the U.S. each year—more than breast cancer, lung cancer, and chronic lung disease combined. Yet only about 4 in 10 women recognize it as their greatest health threat. A 2026 American Heart Association scientific statement projected that if trends continue, the proportion of U.S. women ages 20 and older with high blood pressure will rise from approximately 49% in 2020 to 59% in 2050. Meanwhile, maternal mortality has increased, with cardiovascular disease now the leading cause of medical-related deaths during pregnancy, accounting for more than one-third of maternal mortality in the U.S.
"Women experience their healthcare across clinical specialties, but it often is fragmented or disconnected," said Sadiya S. Khan, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, chair of the collaborative writing group and Magerstadt Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "These reports connect the dots for clinicians, for patients and across health domains so that care is holistic and begins in adolescence."
The framework identifies menstrual cycle patterns as a female-specific vital sign, with heavy or irregular bleeding serving as early markers of cardiovascular risk. Perimenopause is described as a cardiovascular inflection point, and postmenopause is when most heart attacks, strokes, and heart-failure events occur—events that are more than 80% preventable if action is taken early. The 2026 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology cholesterol guideline now includes pregnancy-related factors in risk assessment.
The societies also call for a national network of Comprehensive Centers of Excellence for Women's Cardiovascular Care, built on four pillars: interdisciplinary clinical care, professional education and training, research, and community engagement. They note that cardiovascular risk can now be identified earlier using the American Heart Association PREVENT equations for 10- and 30-year sex-specific risk estimation.
The three papers include a presidential advisory, A Female-Specific Life Course Approach to the Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease; a scientific statement, Consensus Guidance for the Female-Specific Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease; and a science advisory, Comprehensive Centers of Excellence for Women's Cardiovascular Care. Additional resources include a release link with multimedia interviews and a Spanish news release.
"All girls and women deserve more healthy years to live their fullest lives," Khan said. "Advancing women's health is a responsibility we all share. This investment improves not only women's health, but also the health of their families and their communities."
