May as Women’s Health Month kicked off this past Monday, May 10, 2026, with National Women’s Health Week. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health leads the annual observance and designates a theme to empower women to make their health a priority and help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health.
This year’s theme is “Prevention, Innovation, and Impact: A New Era in Women’s Health.” The theme reflects an ongoing commitment to proactive, science-based, and coordinated care with an emphasis on prevention, early detection, and better health outcomes. It also emphasizes translating new scientific discoveries into practical steps that women and health care providers can use every day.
The 2026 focus areas are as follows:
Prevention and Early Detection Across the Lifespan
- Routine screenings, timely risk assessments, and early interventions make it possible to identify potential concerns sooner, when they are more manageable and, in many cases, preventable.
Sex-Specific Biology and Hormonal Foundations of Women's Health
- Advances in research are deepening our understanding of how biological and hormonal factors shape women’s health across the lifespan. Recognizing these shifts allows for more timely support and better-informed care at each stage.
Chronic Disease, Midlife Health, Aging, and Longevity
- Midlife represents a pivotal period for women’s health, one in which the risk for chronic conditions becomes more pronounced, but also one of the most important opportunities for prevention and early intervention to preclude or better manage chronic disease and support healthier aging over time.
Innovation, Translation, and the Future of Women's Health
- Breakthroughs in research and technology are rapidly expanding what is possible in women’s health. Bridging the gap between discovery and practice remains a critical priority.
National Women’s Health Month is an opportunity to champion the importance of the patient-physician relationship, build trust, and provide women with the care, knowledge, and support they need to live healthy and prosperous lives.
Resources for Your Patients and You:
- Your Health, Your Way - Fact Sheet
- Your Health Journey: Screenings and Discussions for Every Stage of Life — Fact Sheet
- Know the Difference Fact Sheet
- WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for WOMen Across the Nation)
- Women and Heart Disease
- National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
- MSMS Grand Rounds Webinar Series: What you Must Know About Women’s Hormones
- Menopause & Midlife Health
- Nutrition and Aging Resource Center