Normal Blood Pressure for Women

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries by the blood flow. It is not a vital sign by itself, but is measured along with the vital signs like pulse rate, etc. When the heart pumps the blood into the arteries, it is done with force and that creates the pressure. This is also the reason why arteries or efferent vessels have thicker walls than the veins or afferent vessels. It is measured in two parts: systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. When the heart contracts, pushing the blood into the arteries, the pressure of blood is highest and is known as the systolic pressure. In contrast, when the heart relaxes between beats, the blood pressure falls and this is the diastolic pressure. So what's the normal blood pressure for women? Let's read on to find out.

Normal Blood Pressure: Women

The normal blood pressure for women and in general too, is 120/80. It is measured in mm/Hg (millimeters of mercury), wherein the first figure refers to the systolic pressure, while the second figure represents the diastolic pressure. It is measured by sphygmomanometer. Normal blood pressure for women is needed for proper functioning of the body as blood is the oxygen and nutrient carrying medium of the body. If blood pressure fluctuates, the body reacts to compensate the disturbance. It means that if the pressure is high, the arteries expand and if it is low, they contract. This is the reason you can feel the pulse which is actually the contraction and relaxation of the arteries with every cardiac cycle.

Range for Blood Pressure

Systolic Pressure	Diastolic Pressure	Blood Pressure Stages
210	120	Dangerously High Blood Pressure
160	100	Too High Blood Pressure
140	90	Borderline High Blood Pressure
130	85	High/Normal Blood Pressure
120	80	Normal Blood Pressure
110	75	Low/Normal Blood Pressure
90	60	Borderline Low Blood Pressure
60	40	Too Low Blood Pressure
50	33	Dangerously Low Blood Pressure

Factors affecting Normal Blood Pressure in Women

Normal blood pressure in women is affected by a lot of factors. The blood pressure levels in women can fluctuate depending mainly upon age, lifestyle, pregnancy, weight, menopause and family history.

Age: Average blood pressure increases with age. After the age of 50, one in every two women, has high blood pressure. Given below is an age-wise average blood pressure range. Please note that the table mentions blood pressure only up to a certain age because with old age a lot of factors come into play and it is not possible to decide a normal range as the condition may vary from one individual to another.

Age of Woman	Blood Pressure (mm/Hg)
15-19	117/77
20-24	120/79
25-29	121/80
30-34	122/81
35-39	123/82
40-44	125/83
45-49	127/84
50-54	129/85
55-59	131/86
60-64	134/87

Lifestyle: Blood pressure is dependent upon the choice of lifestyle. Risk of high blood pressure increases with lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, stress and also due to intake of certain substances like caffeine, nicotine and birth control pills.

Pregnancy: The blood pressure may fluctuate both ways during pregnancy. Frequent blood pressure checks are required to prevent serious problems.

Weight: Due to increase in weight, the blood pressure increases. This is because of the deposition of fat on the inner linings of arteries. This decreases the lumen area of the artery and hence, the blood pressure increases. Normal blood pressure can be maintained by taking a balanced diet and doing regular exercises.

Menopause: Due to fall in the levels of estrogen, which is partly responsible for maintaining blood pressure, the blood pressure increases after menopause.

Family History: If your parents have high blood pressure, you are more prone to it. This means that there are high chances of your developing high blood pressure and hence, proper care should be taken.

In women, normal blood pressure levels can be maintained by taking a healthy diet. Following a regular exercise schedule is also important. Around 25 million women in the US suffer from high blood pressure and an equal number from low blood pressure. Hence, it is important to be aware of the normal blood pressure for women and do regular medical checkups. Take care!