Your blood pressure is a measure of "the force of blood against the walls of arteries" according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. There are two measures of the blood pressure, one is when the heart is contracting or beating and the other is when the heart is at rest. The combination of the measurements of the two, indicates whether your blood pressure is normal. For women, blood pressure can be affected by outside forces such as medication, pregnancy and other factors which will be discussed in this article.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings enormous changes to a woman's body and your blood pressure is not exempt. As your fetus grows, it brings increasing stress on all of your organs, but most importantly on your heart. In your last three months of pregnancy, according to the American Heart Association, hypertension, an elevated blood pressure which exceeds 140 over 90, can develop rapidly putting the mother and baby at risk if left untreated. This condition generally returns to normal after delivery.
Birth Control
The pill, probably the most commonly prescribed birth control method, can also interfere with your blood pressure. Certain factors can increase the possibility of the pill causing high blood pressure. They include smoking, being overweight, high blood pressure during a previous pregnancy, a family history of high blood pressure that may make you predisposed to the condition or mild kidney disease. Before being prescribed the pill, ask your doctor about your risk factors and make sure your blood pressure is closely monitored while you are on it.
Weight
If you are overweight you increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. The excess weight puts an unnecessary strain on your heart and can affect its performance.
Menopause
After menopause, and in women over 55, your chance of getting high blood pressure increases more than a man's does. Estrogen replacement therapy has also been linked to high blood pressure, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Though this increase only happens in a minority of women taking this therapy, it is recommended that all women on hormone replacement therapies have their blood pressure checked regularly.
African American
African American women have a much higher incidence of high blood pressure than any other racial group in America. The reasons are unknown, but the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute notes that not only are the rates higher, but the disease is also more serious when it does develop.
Family History
As with many conditions, family history plays a role in high blood pressure too. If your mother had it, you are more likely to get it as are your children. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, you should have it checked regularly and consult a physician if you notice that your blood pressure is elevated on a regular basis.
Ranges
According to the American Heart Association, for women, a normal blood pressure reading is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Your doctor will begin to discuss lifestyle changes with you, such as diet and exercise, if your blood pressure reaches 120 to 139/80 to 89 mm Hg. If the lifestyle changes aren't successful, or if you didn't catch it soon enough for this to be an option, once your blood pressure reaches 140/90 or higher, your doctor will likely begin drug therapy to control your blood pressure.
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