EAN 2021: Migraine increases risks of pregnancy complications

Headache

By Michael Woodhead

21 Jun 2021

Prof Nirit Lev

Pregnant women with migraines have a higher risk of developing a range of obstetric and post-partum complications, a study presented at the 7th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) has found

Neurologists from Israel said their findings showed that pregnancies in women with migraine should be managed as ‘high risk’ given the increase in complication compared to women without migraine.

Their study analysed pregnancy outcomes for 161,574 women, of whom 8,723 women had a diagnosis of migraine.

It found that overall risk of obstetric complications and postpartum depression was significantly higher in migraine patients compared with the control group.

The rates of being admitted to high-risk pregnancy departments were  6% in non-migraine pregnant women, 6.9% in women with migraine without aura and 8.7% in pregnant women who suffer from migraine with aura.

For women with migraine there was an increased incidence of caesarean section (20.5% vs 18.1% for non-migraine women) and epidural anaesthesia (43.6% vs 36.5%), ) but they were not at increased risk of assisted deliveries.

Pregnant migraine patients had significantly increased risk of gestational diagnosis of diabetes, preeclampsia and stroke. Women with migraine also had more medical consultations and used more medications during pregnancy and post-partum

The lead author of the study, Professor Nirit Lev, head of the department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Tel Aviv, said the study confirmed previous research showing that women with migraine were at a greater risk of a host of medical and obstetric complications in pregnancy.

“As such, we are recommended that these women should be classed as ‘high-risk’ pregnancies and should therefore be treated according to a high-risk protocol,” she said

“Migraine sufferers were also found to have a greater risk of developing depression during their pregnancy and after giving birth”, said Professor Lev who is also Senior Researcher in the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University.

“As a result, they should also be offered a neurological consultation during pregnancy adequate follow-up support after giving birth,” she added.

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