Women's Health

Women with migraines more likely to have pregnancy complications

Research we're watching

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
  • Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor, and
  • Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women's Health Watch

photo of a pregnant women experiencing a migraine headache

Women who cope with migraine headaches before becoming pregnant may have higher risks of pregnancy complications that could threaten their health or that of their babies, a new analysis suggests.

The Harvard-led study, published online Jan. 19, 2023, by Neurology, combed through 20 years' worth of data from the Nurses' Health Study II, which included 30,555 pregnancies among 19,694 nurses in the United States. Researchers evaluated how many women reported they'd been diagnosed with migraine, as well as the type of migraine. Participants also reported if they'd experienced medical problems during pregnancy.

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About the Author

photo of Maureen Salamon

Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Maureen Salamon is executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She began her career as a newspaper reporter and later covered health and medicine for a wide variety of websites, magazines, and hospitals. Her work has … See Full Bio
View all posts by Maureen Salamon

About the Reviewers

photo of Toni Golen, MD

Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor

Dr. Toni Golen is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, practicing in Boston. Dr. Golen completed her residency training at George Washington University Medical Center in 1995, and is an associate professor at Harvard Medical … See Full Bio
View all posts by Toni Golen, MD
photo of Hope Ricciotti, MD

Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Dr. Hope A. Ricciotti is Editor at Large of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She is an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School, and leads the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and … See Full Bio
View all posts by Hope Ricciotti, MD

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