Does Migraine Increase Pregnancy Risks?
A study out of Denmark, published last month in the journal Headache, is raising serious concerns about the link between migraine and certain pregnancy risks. How can mothers with migraine give their babies the best possible opportunities for good health?
In the study, researchers used population registries and identified 22,841 women with migraine who became pregnant, compared with 228,324 pregnancies where there was no migraine. They then identified several areas of increased risk for the women with migraine, including:
- pregnancy associated hypertension disorders
- miscarriage
- low birth weight
- preterm birth
- birth defects
There was also a higher risk of several complications after birth, such as febrile seizures.
The most concerning issue was that the increased risk seemed to be there whether or not migraine was treated – suggesting to the researchers that it was migraine disease itself that increased the risks in pregnancy, not the treatment or lack of treatment.
Although there are some weaknesses with this study, it does seem to confirm other studies that also indicate risks in pregnancy due to migraine. It’s difficult to tell exactly how medications come into play, but the researchers seem to think that medications are not explaining the risk.
At first, this may sound like information that you can’t use. After all – if there’s no improvement with treatment or without treatment, who cares? But several things need to be kept in mind.
- This study only found some associations with migraine, and further study will be needed to confirm. This is not to say that treatment is will not help you and your baby during pregnancy.
- Anytime there is an indication of increased risk, what can you do? You can decrease your risk in other areas. If there is a risk of hypertension, there are ways to lower your risk.
- Just because there is an increased risk does not mean it’s a high risk. This is very important to remember – the risk from migraine is still low.
- Pay attention to your own symptoms and talk to your doctor about them. A registry based study like this one relies a lot on minimal information collected after the fact. There are a lot of issues that may cause headaches, migraine, and changes in your symptoms. It’s not “just normal” in pregnancy.
For a summary of migraine changes during pregnancy, you may find this infographic helpful: Migraine During and After Pregnancy
Also, for a discussion of dealing with migraine and headache during pregnancy, and assessing medication risks, read The Myth-Busting Guide to Migraines and Pregnancy
And may your baby be healthy – and may you be healthier than ever – in the months ahead!
To read the whole study, or the abstract, see Pregnancy, Birth, Neonatal, and Postnatal Neurological Outcomes After Pregnancy With Migraine