Associations of Reproductive Factors With Hypertension Prevalence and Blood Pressure Levels in Female Nurses: A...

Female nurses face unique health challenges due to pregnancy and physiological factors, yet the association between reproductive factors and blood pressure remains debated. This cross-sectional study surveyed 122 533 female nurses in Hebei Province using questionnaires and standardized blood pressure measurements. Data were collected on reproductive factors (menstrual status, number of abortions and deliveries), BMI, history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and other potential confounders. Abortion was defined as pregnancy loss before 28 weeks of gestation, including both spontaneous miscarriage and induced termination, which are clinically and biologically distinct but were combined in this study due to data availability. Logistic regression and multifactorial analysis of variance were used to assess the associations of these reproductive factors with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure levels, respectively, including interaction terms for BMI and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy history. After adjusting for age, BMI, and other covariates, irregular menstruation (OR = 1.388, 95%CI: 1.302-1.478), menopause (OR = 1.328, 95%CI: 1.185-1.489), and having one delivery (OR = 1.215, 95%CI:1.004-1.471) were independently associated with higher odds of hypertension. Among nurses with prior hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, those with more than three abortions had significantly higher systolic (by 7.63 mmHg) and diastolic (by 6.38 mmHg) blood pressure compared to those with no abortion history. The findings indicate that reproductive factors are significantly associated with blood pressure in female nurses. We recommend regular blood pressure monitoring for nurses with irregular menstruation, menopause, or one delivery, proactive management of menstrual irregularities, and individualized reproductive counselling for those with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.