Hormones and High Blood Pressure

Taking estrogen, either through birth control pills or through hormone therapy (HT), can affect a woman's blood pressure. Women taking birth control pills can have a small and most often normal increase in their blood pressure reading. Talk to your health care provider about what you can do if your blood pressure goes up when taking the pill. Age (35 and older), length of use, and smoking are all thought to increase the risk for high blood pressure in women taking birth control pills. When you take birth control pills, be sure to have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you are taking birth control pills and have high blood pressure, talk with your health care provider about another method of birth control.

While not usual, women may see a rise in blood pressure due to taking estrogen or hormone therapy (HT). All women taking estrogen or HT need to have their blood pressure checked regularly. In the past, taking HT was thought to help protect women against heart disease. But recent findings from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), showed that taking HT poses more risks than benefits for a woman's heart health. The study found that HT could increase a woman's risk for heart disease, stroke, and pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung), as well as breast cancer. Because of these findings, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women who have gone through menopause should not be given HT to prevent heart disease and other chronic conditions. Hormones also are not recommended for women with heart disease or for women who have had a stroke. If you have gone through menopause, talk with your health care provider about whether hormones are right for you.

During pregnancy, a woman can develop high blood pressure, which goes away when the baby is born. This is called gestational hypertension. Women who have high blood pressure before getting pregnant are more likely to have certain problems, such as preeclampsia, or toxemia, which can threaten the lives of both the mother and the fetus. Talk to your health care provider if you have high blood pressure and are thinking of having a baby. Prenatal care will be especially important for you.