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Headaches During Pregnancy

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Abstract

Among primary headaches, migraine is the form more sensitive to the ovarian hormonal milieu. Migraine without aura (MO) benefits from the hyperestrogenic state of pregnancy and the lack of hormonal fluctuations, while migraine with aura (MA) presents distinctive features. Indeed, a very strong improvement of MO has been documented across gestation, and only a minority of pregnant women still suffers during the third trimester. On the other hand, fewer women with MA report improvement or remission, and new onset of aura may be observed during pregnancy. After delivery, breastfeeding exerts a protective action on migraine recurrence. The persistence of migraine during gestation seems to affect neonatal outcomes, and several studies indicate a link between migraine and an increased risk of developing gestational hypertension/preeclampsia and other vascular complications.

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Disclosures

No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Morphological, Eidological and Clinical Sciences, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico “San Matteo”, Piazzale Golgi 2, Pavia, 27100, Italy

    Rossella E. Nappi, Erica Terreno, Emanuela Brambilla & Franco Polatti

  2. University Consortium for Adaptive Disorders and Head Pain (UCADH), University of Pavia, Via Mondino 1, Pavia, 27100, Italy

    Rossella E. Nappi

  3. Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, IRCCS Maugeri Foundation, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 8, Pavia, 27100, Italy

    Francesca Albani

  4. Department of Neurology, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS “C. Mondino” Foundation, Via Mondino 1, Pavia, 27100, Italy

    Grazia Sances

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  1. Rossella E. Nappi
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  2. Francesca Albani
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  3. Grazia Sances
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  4. Erica Terreno
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Correspondence to Rossella E. Nappi.

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Nappi, R.E., Albani, F., Sances, G. et al. Headaches During Pregnancy. Curr Pain Headache Rep 15, 289–294 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-011-0200-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-011-0200-8

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