Pregnancy and Migraines

For those females who suffer with migraines, pregnancy is a time when these headaches may change in intensity – either becoming worse or disappearing altogether. In a way, this change in headaches during pregnancy makes sense because it is known migraines are directly affected by fluctuations in hormone levels. Pregnancy is a time of great changes in hormone levels bringing on the change in headaches.

Hormone Levels During Pregnancy

Hormones fluctuate greatly during the time a woman is pregnant. For instance, estrogen levels in pregnant women may rise as much as 100 times the normal levels. The estrogen levels of women can increase as much as 100 times the normal level during pregnancy. In the case of progesterone, the levels of this hormone drop at the beginning of pregnancy then rise towards the later stages of pregnancy.

Although a woman’s hormone levels do fluctuate during the time she is not pregnant, these fluctuations are not as pronounced or severe as those experienced during pregnancy. These drastic changes in hormone levels might explain why migraines actually improve during pregnancy.

In addition, the body’s levels of endorphins are much higher than usual during pregnancy. These endorphins are the body’s natural pain-killing hormones. This higher level of natural pain-killers could be another explanation for why headaches improve during pregnancy.

Migraines are not Always Improved

While some women see improvement in their headaches during pregnancy, this is not the case for all. Unfortunately, being pregnant does not always improve migraines, especially during the first trimester. This is because the morning sickness of early pregnancy causes the woman to eat and drink less. The resulting low blood sugar and dehydration will more than likely cause a migraine.

Some interesting connections have been found concerning the migraines experienced during pregnancy. These include:

• If a woman generally experiences menstrual migraines and usually experiences no aura, some women experience fewer if these migraines during pregnancy. Around 60% to 70% of these women experience improvement during pregnancy.
• If the usual migraines before pregnancy have auras, the migraines will likely continue during pregnancy.
• Some migraines become worse during pregnancy, but these cases are rare.
• Interestingly, some women experience their first migraine with an aura during their pregnancy. If the headache seems worse or different from ones suffered before pregnancy, it is recommended that you see a doctor, as this headache could be a sign you have pre-eclampsia. This is a medical condition that can be dangerous for both the pregnant woman and her baby. It should be treated right away.

Safe Drugs to Take During Pregnancy

If you are trying to become pregnant, you should consult with your doctor to see which of your regular medicines are safe to take during and after pregnancy and which ones should be stopped. The best plan concerning migraine medicines is to stop taking them during pregnancy. This is because it is uncertain if these medicines are safe or if they will do harm to the baby because drug tests have not been conducted on women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

If a pain reliever is needed during pregnancy, paracetamol also known as Tylenol or acetaminophen, is safe to take while pregnant or breast-feeding. It is always best to take paracetamol with food to avoid irritating the stomach. The soluble ones are the best choices to take when you feel a migraine about to start. During the last few weeks of your pregnancy, you should not take aspirin for your migraines since aspirin thins the blood and prevents clotting. Also, you should not take more than 600mg of ibuprofen in a 24-hour period. As for triptans, such as Imitrex or Zomig, you should not take them at all while you are pregnant.
If you suspect your headaches are the result of low blood sugar and dehydration because of morning sickness, there are several types of anti-sickness medicines that are safe to take during pregnancy that will help ease your morning sickness. These drugs include buclizine or meclizine, chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine, domperidone and metaclopramide. These drugs are safe to take during all stages of pregnancy with the exception of domperidone and metaclopramide. These two drugs should not be taken during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Medication and Breastfeeding

Some medications the mother takes can be dangerous to the baby if transferred through the breast milk. If you are breast-feeding and find that you must take aspirin or metaclopramide, you should use an alternate feeding source for at least 24-hours after taking these medications. On the other hand, low doses of propranolol are safe to take during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. The drugs amitryptiline and pizotifen are also not harmful to pregnant women and their babies.

Triptans, a class of migraine medicines that includes Imitrex, are safe to take during breastfeeding; however, it is a good idea not to breastfeed your baby for at least 24 hours after you have taken a medication of this type. You should have another form of baby food, such as powdered formula, on hand in case you have to take one of these migraine medicines.

Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Because they are viewed as “natural” some women turn to alternative or herbal remedies while they are pregnant. Be aware that even though theses remedies are advertised to be natural and not harmful, some of these should not be used during pregnancy. One example of this is aromatherapy. While this seems like it would not be harmful, there are certain oils, such as rosemary, that shouldn’t be used during pregnancy. Other treatments to avoid during pregnancy include the herb feverfew, which is said to treat migraines, as well as the practice of reflexology. In any treatment or therapy you wish to try make sure you talk to a medical professional such as a doctor or pharmacist to make sure they are safe. Be sure to mention you are pregnant.

Returning Migraines

Soon after a woman gives birth, she will find her migraines will return quickly. This is the result of a sudden drop in the level of estrogen level several days after giving birth. Post-pregnancy migraines can also be triggered by other factors such as over-tiredness, dehydration and a low blood sugar count.

Pregnancy and Migraines