In 1991, the US National Institutes of Health, or NIH, launched the Women’s Health Initiative, or WHI, which is one of the largest and one of the first long-term, nationwide studies of health conditions affecting postmenopausal females in the United States. Menopause is defined as the point in time twelve months after a female has had her last menstrual period. After menopause, females face higher risks of certain conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases. In 1991, Bernadine Healy, a physician who studied cardiology, became the first female director of the NIH and founded the WHI because she observed that research into female health was lacking. The WHI initiated several clinical trials to study whether changing diet, taking supplements, or undergoing hormone therapy could alleviate menopause symptoms. The trial of hormone therapy identified risks associated with that treatment and generated controversy. Despite the controversy, the WHI was one of the first organizations to produce comprehensive research into treatments and preventative methods for menopause symptoms, thereby improving healthcare options for postmenopausal females.