What Does the Research Say About Pregnancy and Migraines?

For women with a history of migraines, pregnancy may or may not have an impact on the frequency and severity of migraines. Based on a large research study published in the 1994 edition of Headache, 79 percent of women had an improvement in migraine frequency during pregnancy. This study also concluded that pregnant women with a history of migraines had fewer such headaches during the second and third trimesters.

 

According to another research study involving pregnancy and migraines -- published in the April 2003 edition of Cephalalgia -- a group of Italian researchers found that about one-half of women had no migraines during the second trimester, and three out of every four women had no migraines during the third trimester. These same researchers found that women who had menstrual cycle-related migraines were less likely to see an improvement in their migraines during pregnancy.

 

Up to 2 percent of women with no history of migraines will have their first migraine during pregnancy.

 

Treatment for Migraines During Pregnancy

Your healthcare provider may recommend one or more treatment options for migraines during pregnancy. These treatment options may include:

 

 

When you are pregnant, lifestyle changes may play a role in limiting the frequency and severity of migraines. These lifestyle changes can include:

 

A number of medicines are used for treating migraines (see Migraine Medications). However, your healthcare provider may advise against taking most of these medicines, including over-the-counter ones. This is because a number of these medicines have been shown to cause possible problems to the fetus during testing. For example, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), which are available both over-the-counter and with a prescription, are generally not recommended during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester. You should also not take anything with aspirin in it, since these medicines can increase the risk of bleeding. Most healthcare providers consider acetaminophen (Tylenol^®) to be the medication of choice for migraine relief during pregnancy.