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Women’s Heart Health at Mass General Brigham

Across our system of world-class hospitals, we deliver seamless, specialized cardiovascular care for women—offering advanced programs for pregnancy-related heart disease, SCAD, ANOCA/INOCA, and cardiometabolic health during the menopause transition.

Call 866-644-8910
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Comprehensive heart care

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States and worldwide. It often presents differently than in men, with unique risk factors and symptoms that can be harder to detect, sometimes delaying proper diagnosis. 

At Mass General Brigham, the Women’s Heart Health Program is designed to address these differences and provide personalized cardiovascular care.  Our multidisciplinary team collaborates across specialties to help you understand your risk, recognize symptoms early, and get the individualized treatment you need. Call 866-644-8910 today to schedule an appointment.
 

Conditions we treat

From SCAD and INOCA to cardiovascular disease affecting pregnancy and hormone-related risk, we offer expert evaluation, personalized treatment, and access to groundbreaking research centered around heart diseases that disproportionately affect the lives of women.

Below are some of the heart conditions our clinicians specialize in:

  • Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD): SCAD is a tear in one of the heart’s arteries that can lead to a heart attack. It often affects younger women with no history of heart disease and may require specialized care and long-term follow-up.
  • Angina and ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (ANOCA and INOCA): These conditions can cause chest pain or reduced blood flow to the heart even when major arteries look clear. They are often related to small blood vessel problems or spasms and are seen more often in women.
  • Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA): MINOCA is a type of heart attack where tests do not show major blockages in the heart arteries. It’s more likely to affect women and can be caused by a variety of underlying issues that need expert evaluation.
  • Heart disease during pregnancy: Pregnancy puts added stress on the heart, especially for people with existing heart conditions. We offer expert care for individuals with known or newly diagnosed heart problems before, during, and after pregnancy.
  • Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: High blood pressure during pregnancy—including preeclampsia and gestational hypertension—can increase the risk of heart disease later in life. If you’ve experienced these conditions, our team can provide you with care to reduce your risk for long-term heart disease.
  • Cardiovascular risk during menopause: As hormone levels change during menopause, the risk of heart disease may increase. We help patients understand and manage these changes to protect heart health during midlife and beyond.

Specialized services we offer

The Mass General Brigham system is a network of hospitals and community care locations anchored by our flagship academic medical centers—Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Through the Linda Joy Pollin Women’s Heart Center at the Brigham and the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center at Mass General, we deliver specialized cardiovascular care for women throughout their lives.

Here are a few of the unique services available to our patients:

Our multidisciplinary team helps individuals with heart conditions safely navigate pregnancy and postpartum care. Experts from cardiology, maternal-fetal medicine, and cardiac anesthesia collaborate to develop personalized care plans for people who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. We also specialize in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, and can advise patients on strategies to support short- and long-term heart health.

We offer consultations for patients with heart disease or disease risk who are considering hormone therapy, hormonal contraception, or are navigating the menopause transition. We offer personalized risk assessments, research-informed education and expert treatment recommendations.

We provide specialized care for patients with SCAD, and our team includes experts in cardiology, cardiac imaging, vascular medicine, genetics, psychology, and exercise physiology. 

Within this service, patients have access to:

  • Exercise and recovery support: Personalized exercise guidance for active individuals recovering from SCAD, informed by cardiopulmonary testing
  • Mindfulness-based therapy: Mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy can help support healthy recovery after SCAD, and our program offers virtual CBT sessions for Massachusetts residents.
  • Genetics counseling: Genetic consultation to evaluate possible inherited risk factors for SCAD.

What to expect

A program coordinator will contact you to learn more about why you are seeking care and match you with the right cardiologist. If you have past medical records or heart test results, we encourage you to share them, but this is not required.

Your cardiologist will review your personal and family health history, talk with you about your symptoms and goals, and may recommend additional testing to better understand your heart health. These tests could include imaging, stress testing, or minimally invasive procedures if needed.

Once you are part of the Women’s Heart Health Program, your care team will partner with you to lower your risk for heart disease and support your long-term health. Your plan may include lifestyle changes, preventive strategies, or specialized programs, with ongoing support through both in-person and virtual visits.

At Mass General Brigham, our goal is to provide expert, whole-person care that keeps you informed, supported, and empowered to protect your heart health.

Taking Women’s Health to Heart

Learn how the innovative Mass General Brigham Sports SCAD Clinic gave Tara Benoit her life back after a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) at 47 years old.

Read Tara's story
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Our team

At the heart of our Women’s Heart Health Program is a team of compassionate experts working together to care for you. From cardiologists and imaging specialists to behavioral health professionals and pregnancy care providers, our collaborative team is here to listen, support, and guide you with care that’s tailored to your unique situation. 

Leadership

Women’s Heart Health team

Shaping the future of care through research

At Mass General Brigham, we’re deeply committed to advancing women’s heart health through groundbreaking research that addresses the unique ways cardiovascular disease affects women. Our investigators lead and collaborate on clinical trials, multicenter registries, and lab-based studies that are helping to change standards of care for women.

Current projects include:

  • iSCAD Registry: A national registry that collects patient data to better understand spontaneous coronary artery dissection and long-term outcomes.
  • gVasc Study: A study to understand the genetics of spontaneous coronary artery dissection 
  • HOPE Registry: A registry designed to study the care and outcomes of pregnant women with heart disease to identify the best approaches to care for these patients.
  • REBIRTH Trial: A clinical trial investigating bromocriptine, a medication that activates dopamine, for patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy. 

Our teams also drive discovery through specialized research labs, such as the Lau Women’s Heart Health Lab, the Honigberg Lab, and the Fahed Lab, which focus on genetics, inflammation, and sex-specific differences in cardiovascular disease.

Many of these registries and clinical studies are open to interested patients and participants, offering the chance to contribute directly to new discoveries and improved care.

Training the next generation of leaders

At Mass General Brigham, our commitment to women’s cardiovascular health extends beyond research into education, professional development, and mentorship. 

Through our Women’s Heart Health Fellowship, physicians gain advanced expertise in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease in women.

Fellows rotate across Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, working alongside experts in cardiology, maternal-fetal medicine, vascular medicine, genetics, and imaging. They participate directly in patient care, contribute to active research studies, and receive coaching from leaders in the field.

This unique training program builds a strong pipeline of clinicians and investigators who will carry forward innovations in women’s cardiovascular care—ensuring that discoveries continue to translate into better outcomes for patients everywhere.

Learn more about the Women’s Heart Health Fellowship (opens external link)

Request an appointment

Request an appointment with a member of the Mass General Brigham Women's Heart Health Program. Our dedicated team is committed to providing expert care for your cardiac needs. Please call us to determine the care that is best for you. 

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For referring physicians

We welcome referrals for women experiencing cardiac symptoms during pregnancy or menopause, as well as women with a history of SCAD or non-obstructive coronary artery conditions (ANOCA/INOCA/MINOCA). Our collaborative team offers timely consultations and individualized care planning. Call us at 866-644-8910 to begin the conversation.

You can also submit a referral through the Mass General Brigham provider portal.

Frequently asked questions about women’s heart health

Women may experience heart disease differently than men. While chest pain is a common symptom, many women instead feel nausea, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, back pain, jaw pain, or a general sense of unease. These symptoms can be more subtle and are often overlooked or misdiagnosed.

At Mass General Brigham, our Women’s Heart Health specialists are trained to recognize these differences and provide advanced testing and care designed specifically for women. We use the latest tools to detect early warning signs and tailor treatment to your unique needs and symptoms.

Yes. Some people may develop heart problems for the first time during pregnancy, while others may already have a condition that requires careful monitoring and management. Pregnancy puts extra stress on the heart, and conditions like high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems, or cardiomyopathy can pose serious risks to both parent and baby if not properly managed.

Our Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy Program at Mass General Brigham offers expert, coordinated care from cardiologists, maternal-fetal medicine doctors, and other specialists. Whether you’re pregnant or planning pregnancy, we can help you navigate your heart health safely and confidently.

Yes. Hormonal changes, such as those during menopause, pregnancy, or with hormone therapy, can impact cholesterol, blood pressure, blood vessels, and overall cardiovascular risk. For example, declining estrogen levels during menopause may increase the risk of heart disease.

The Women’s Heart Health team at Mass General Brigham includes specialists who understand the complex relationship between hormones and heart health. Our Cardiometabolic Health and Hormones Clinic offers personalized assessments and guidance for patients considering hormone therapy or navigating heart health through life’s hormonal changes.

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