Women's health evolves at every stage of life, yet healthcare doesn't always keep pace.
Most women receive excellent care from their primary care physicians and specialists, but the system itself is built around individual visits, isolated data points, and siloed specialties. That means health changes that are often biologically linked and deeply interconnected get evaluated in separate rooms, by separate teams, on separate timelines.
That fragmentation matters because many of the biological changes women experience over a lifetime carry implications that extend well beyond the reproductive system, but they aren't always recognized as such. Pregnancy complications like preeclampsia can signal elevated long-term cardiovascular risk [1]. Early menarche and conditions like PMOS (formerly PCOS) have downstream metabolic and cardiometabolic effects that persist for decades. Menopause reshapes bone density, body composition, cognitive function, and cardiovascular health simultaneously. These aren't isolated events – they're inflection points, and they deserve a clinical framework that reflects that complexity.
Biograph’s Women’s Health Program was built to close these gaps.
What is Biograph's Women's Health Program?
Biograph's Women's Health Program is an integrated approach to preventive care that acknowledges women's unique biological risk factors and their significance in a comprehensive health assessment.
Rather than evaluating hormone health, cardiovascular health, bone density, metabolic function, and cognitive function independently, our program considers how these systems interact throughout a woman's life.
The program incorporates female-specific factors, including:
These insights are then interpreted alongside a comprehensive clinical workup: advanced imaging, in-depth blood testing, body composition and bone density analysis, cardiorespiratory fitness, strength and mobility evaluation, cognitive screening, and sleep analysis. A dedicated care team – a physician, registered dietitian, and exercise physiologist – synthesizes it all into a more complete picture of long-term health and translates it into a clear, personalized action plan.
Why women's health requires a different approach
Historically, women were underrepresented in clinical research. It wasn't until 1993 that Congress required the inclusion of women in National Institutes of Health-funded clinical research [2]. While this policy has led to important advances, gaps remain in our understanding of how many diseases develop, present, and progress differently in women.
Women's health also follows a unique biological timeline.
Impacts on future health can begin as early as adolescence. Research has shown that beginning menstruation before age 11 or after age 14 is associated with a higher risk of adverse cardiovascular disease outcomes [3].
Pregnancy serves as a physiologic stress test, sometimes revealing underlying metabolic or vascular vulnerabilities. Later, perimenopause and menopause represent another major transition, affecting everything from body composition and bone density to cholesterol metabolism and cognitive health.
The same hormonal shifts that contribute to hot flashes, for example, can also influence cardiovascular health, muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, and bone remodeling.
Understanding these relationships allows clinicians to move beyond treating symptoms and instead focus on preserving long-term health.
Why reproductive history matters for long-term health
A woman’s reproductive history is one of the most underappreciated predictors of disease risk across her lifetime.
Certain pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preterm delivery, are now recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) as important indicators of future cardiovascular disease [4].
Similarly, conditions such as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), are increasingly understood as cardiometabolic conditions rather than solely reproductive disorders. Research has shown that women with PMOS have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, even in the absence of obesity or diabetes [5, 6].
These factors are rarely captured by traditional cardiovascular risk calculators, but they can fundamentally change a woman’s risk profile and prevention plan.
How the menopause transition affects long-term health
Hot flashes and night sweats, often considered hallmarks of menopause, are frequently treated as nuisance symptoms, but they may be far more clinically significant. Research suggests that women who experience more frequent or severe vasomotor symptoms have a higher risk of future cardiovascular disease, making these symptoms not just a physical sensation to manage, but a meaningful signal of overall health [7].
The menopause transition, which often begins years before the final menstrual period, drives changes across nearly every major organ system. As estrogen levels decline, cardiovascular risk rises, bone density falls, body composition shifts, and metabolic and cognitive function can be affected. These aren’t isolated developments; together, they help explain why the years surrounding menopause represent one of the most important windows of opportunity for preventive intervention.
At Biograph, we help women understand the menopause transition not as an endpoint of reproductive health, but as a pivotal chapter in how they age – one where the right interventions can change their trajectory.
What hormones are evaluated?
Hormone testing is one component of Biograph's Women's Health Program, but hormone levels are never interpreted in isolation. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all panel, hormone testing is tailored to each woman's reproductive stage, symptoms, and individual risk factors.
Depending on the clinical picture, the women's hormone panel may include:
Estradiol (sensitive)
Progesterone
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH)
Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)
Prolactin
Testosterone
We also evaluate other hormones that play an important role in women's overall health, including thyroid hormones and insulin, as thyroid dysfunction and metabolic changes can contribute to symptoms that overlap with hormonal transitions.
These results are interpreted alongside symptoms, menstrual and reproductive history, and other diagnostic findings to provide more meaningful clinical context, helping distinguish expected hormonal shifts from conditions that warrant a different clinical path.
What is menopausal hormone therapy?
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) remains the most effective treatment for moderate to severe hot flashes, night sweats, and genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM). It’s also been shown to help preserve bone density and reduce fracture risk in appropriate candidates [8].
However, MHT may not be appropriate for every woman. Current recommendations emphasize an individualized approach based on age, symptom severity, time since menopause, personal medical history, and overall risk profile. Shared decision-making and periodic reassessment remain central to determining whether hormone therapy is appropriate over time.
At Biograph, MHT is considered one component of a broader healthy aging strategy. Hormone therapy decisions are made in the context of each woman’s full clinical picture and individual goals, rather than in isolation.
Nutrition and exercise play an essential role
Hormones represent only one piece of healthy aging. Nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management all shape how women age and respond to hormonal changes – and how effectively any clinical intervention works.
Research consistently supports dietary patterns rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats, and lean proteins for reducing cardiovascular risk and supporting metabolic health [9]. Resistance training and weight-bearing exercise become increasingly important during and after menopause, helping preserve muscle mass, improve bone density, and maintain physical function [10].
Rather than providing generic recommendations, Biograph combines in-depth testing with tailored guidance from registered dietitians and exercise physiologists to build strategies rooted in each woman’s unique biology and health goals.
What is included in Biograph's Women's Health Program?
Biograph's Women's Health Program combines female-specific clinical insights with comprehensive preventive testing designed to evaluate the major drivers of healthy aging.
Depending on individual needs, assessments may include:
Women's hormone evaluation
Cardiovascular risk assessment
Comprehensive metabolic testing
DEXA body composition and bone density analysis
Brain MRI and neurologic risk assessment
Cognitive screening
Mood and mental health screening
Strength and movement analysis
Personalized nutrition and exercise consultations
Physician-led review connecting results into an individualized action plan
Together, these assessments give women and their care team the clinical detail needed to act early, precisely, and adapt over time.
The bottom line
Women's health extends far beyond reproductive health.
Every stage of life, from first menstrual period to pregnancy to menopause and beyond, carries valuable information about long-term cardiovascular, metabolic, skeletal, and cognitive health. The question is whether and how those signals converge.
Biograph's Women's Health Program was built to make sure they do, connecting the clinical dots across a woman’s entire health history while equipping her with the knowledge, skills, and support to take action. Prevention becomes more precise, proactive, and personal, and the changes she makes are ones she can sustain.
The goal isn't simply identifying disease. It's helping women thrive today and rewrite their health trajectory for decades to come.
Commonly asked questions about the Biograph Women’s Health Program
What is Biograph’s Women's Health Program?
The Biograph Women’s Health Program provides comprehensive preventive care tailored to the unique factors that influence women's health over time. The program brings together reproductive and menstrual history, hormone health, cardiometabolic and neurologic risk, bone density, body composition, fitness, strength, and more into a coordinated assessment. A dedicated care team then helps translate it into a personalized action plan that actually fits her life.
How is Biograph's Women's Health Program different from routine healthcare?
Routine healthcare is often structured around individual concerns, isolated data points, or specific organ systems. Biograph's Women's Health Program takes a more integrated approach, evaluating how hormonal, cardiometabolic, musculoskeletal, and neurologic health interact to influence long-term health and healthy aging.
Does reproductive history really affect long-term health?
Yes, research shows that factors such as pregnancy complications, menstrual history, and conditions like polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS, formerly known as PCOS) can provide important insight into future cardiovascular and metabolic health. These factors are considered as part of Biograph's comprehensive assessment.
Is menopause part of the Women's Health Program?
Yes. Biograph evaluates the menopause transition not as an isolated reproductive event, but within the broader context of long-term health. The program assesses how shifting hormones affect cardiovascular, neurologic, metabolic, musculoskeletal health, and overall well-being – and when appropriate, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) may be incorporated as one component of a broader, personalized care plan.
What is included in Biograph's Women's Health Program?
The Women's Health Program incorporates female-specific risk factors into Biograph's comprehensive health assessment. Depending on individual needs, this may include hormone evaluation, cardiovascular and metabolic assessments, DEXA body composition and bone density testing, cognitive and neurologic evaluations, fitness assessments, nutrition and exercise consultations, and physician-guided preventive care.
Who should consider Biograph's Women's Health Program?
The program is designed for any woman who wants more from her healthcare than reactive, piecemeal care. Whether she’s navigating the menopause transition, trying to understand how her symptoms, risk factors, and clinical data connect, or looking for a more precise roadmap for healthy aging, the program meets her where she is and builds a personalized strategy that evolves with her.
Dr. Chen is a Clinic Physician at Biograph NYC. She joined Biograph after building her expertise at the intersection of innovation and academia. Her foundation includes a joint MD and MPH degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and completing both residency and Chief Residency in Internal Medicine at UCLA.
Clinical references
Grandi SM, Smith G. Pregnancy complications as a marker of future cardiovascular disease risk. BMC Medicine. 2025;23(1). doi:10.1186/s12916-025-04317-2
About ORWH. Nih.gov. Published February 6, 2026. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://orwh.od.nih.gov/about-orwh#card-1631
Lee JJ, Cook‐Wiens G, Johnson BD, et al. Age at Menarche and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: Findings From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute‐Sponsored Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2019;8(12). doi:10.1161/jaha.119.012406
Parikh NI, Gonzalez JM, Anderson CAM, et al. Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Unique Opportunities for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2021;143(18). doi:10.1161/cir.0000000000000961
Wang Z, Jukic AMZ, Baird DD, et al. Irregular Cycles, Ovulatory Disorders, and Cardiometabolic Conditions in a US-Based Digital Cohort. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(5):e249657. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.9657
Glintborg D, Ollila MM, Koskenkari N, et al. Increased prospective cardiovascular disease risk in 127 517 Nordic women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a national cohort study. European Journal of Endocrinology. 2025;194(1):58-68. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://academic.oup.com/ejendo/article/194/1/58/8404129?login=false
Carson M. Vasomotor symptoms and their links to cardiovascular disease risk. Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research. 2023;30:100448. doi:10.1016/j.coemr.2023.100448
Hodis HN, Mack WJ. Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy and Reduction of All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Disease. The Cancer Journal. 2022;28(3):208-223. doi:10.1097/ppo.0000000000000591
Pant A, Gribbin S, McIntyre D, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women with a Mediterranean diet: systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart. 2023;109(16). doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321930
Zhao F, Su W, Sun Y, Wang J, Lu B, Yun H. Optimal resistance training parameters for improving bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2025;20(1). doi:10.1186/s13018-025-05890-1
