Oral Contraceptives, Pregnancy, and Blood Pressure

Abstract

Blood pressure was determined for 7,605 women aged 18 to 60. These subjects included 1,941 present users of oral contraceptives, 2,189 never users, and 1,593 past users. Oral contraceptives were associated with a modest yet definite increase in blood pressure, which is related to age and weight but not to drug formulation or dose. This rise was more marked for systolic than diastolic blood pressure. In addition, 953 women in early pregnancy and 247 postpartum subjects had blood pressure readings lower than nonusers. The clinical significance of these findings requires longitudinal study.