Female heart health: Top medical groups issue Female Life Stage framework

Four major U.S. medical societies have jointly released the "Female Life Stage framework," a consolidated guidance that links cardiovascular risk in women to hormonal changes across five distinct life stages—from menarche through postmenopause and pregnancy. The framework emphasizes that women's heart health is shaped by hormonal transitions, reproductive history, and psychosocial factors, requiring integrated clinical care rather than fragmented approaches.