A Female Life Stage Framework for Cardiovascular Health Across the Lifespan

A new multisociety scientific statement introduces the Female Life Stage framework to improve cardiovascular disease prevention and management in girls and women by integrating hormonal, psychosocial, and cardiovascular health across the lifespan. These interconnected domains often experience concurrent dysregulation, which is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, yet care remains fragmented across medical specialties and professional guidelines. Developed by the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the framework identifies four clinically meaningful stages: perimenarche (S1), ovarian cycling (S2), perimenopause (S3), and postmenopause (S4). It also recognizes pregnancy as a unique life event during which cardiovascular risks may emerge or become apparent, particularly following adverse pregnancy outcomes. By aligning major professional guidelines and synthesizing current evidence, the statement provides consensus-based clinical guidance tailored to each life stage and the three interconnected health domains. It calls for improved clinical workflows, enhanced clinician education, and further research and implementation efforts to close existing gaps and optimize cardiovascular health in girls and women. Source: https://www.ahajournals.org/