The possibility of hypertension caused by a blood transfusion.

Q: After giving birth to my son, I needed a blood transfusion. Could that blood I was given be what’s causing my high blood pressure today? My blood pressure was always normal. Years later I have high blood pressure.

A: Women who develop high blood pressure during pregnancy are more likely to get high blood pressure later in life, even if their blood pressure goes back to normal after delivery.  To my knowledge, receiving a blood transfusion is not a risk for developing high blood pressure years later in life. To learn more about the risks of a blood transfusion go to this article on the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute site.