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Migraine Linked With Potential Pregnancy Risks
Women with migraine who are pregnant have an increased risk of preterm delivery, gestational high blood pressure, and preeclampsia, suggest study findings scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 74th Annual Meeting, which will occur in person April 2 to 7, 2022, in Seattle, Washington, and virtually April 24 to 26, 2022.
“While the risks of these complications are still quite low overall, women with a history of migraine should be aware of and consult with their doctor on potential pregnancy risks,” said study author Alexandra Purdue-Smithe, PhD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in a press release reporting the findings.
The preliminary study looked at more than 30,000 pregnancies over 20 years in approximately 19,000 women, 11% of whom reported being diagnosed with migraine before pregnancy. Researchers investigated the occurrence of pregnancy complications, specifically preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, gestational high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and low birthweight, in women with and without migraine.
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Compared with women without migraine, women with migraine had a 17% higher risk of preterm delivery, a 28% higher risk of gestational high blood pressure, and a 40% higher risk of preeclampsia after adjustment for age, obesity, and other factors that could affect complication risk, according to the study.
Among the 3881 pregnancies of women with migraine, 10% were delivered preterm compared with 8% among women without migraine, researchers reported. of women with migraine, 7% developed gestational high blood pressure compared with 5% of women without migraine. Preeclampsia, meanwhile, affected 6% of women with migraine compared with 3% of women without migraine.
Among women with migraine, the study found that migraine with aura was associated with a higher risk of preeclampsia. Women with migraine without aura were 29% more likely to develop preeclampsia than women without migraine. Migraine with aura, however, bumped up that increased liklihood to 51%.
Neither gestational diabetes nor low birthweight were associated with migraine, the study found.
“More research is needed to determine exactly why migraine may be associated with higher risks of complications,” said Dr Purdue-Smithe. “In the meantime, women with migraine may benefit from closer monitoring during pregnancy so that complications like preeclampsia can be identified and managed as soon as possible.”
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