Blood pressure and oral progestational agents. A prospective study of 119 black women.

Blood pressure and body weight were carefully measured in 119 young black women before and after 6 to 24 months of contraceptive therapy with oral progestational agents (minipills). Results are compared with 673 women followed during continued use of nonhormonal contraceptive methods. Minipill therapy (0.35 mg of norethisterone) was associated with no significant (p greater than 0.05) increase in either systolic or diastolic blood pressure means. Minipill users did not develop diastolic blood pressures of 90 mm Hg or more during the study period. Substantial weight gain occurred as a side effect.