Migraine is one of the worst headaches we can experience. Many times it is so intense and can be accompanied by dizziness, nausea, vomiting and fatigue, which prevents daily activities from being carried out normally.
What if they show up when you are waiting for a baby? We tell you about migraines in pregnancy, its symptoms and what you can do about it.
What is migraine and what are its symptoms
Migraine is a type of severe and disabling headache that has certain specific characteristics or symptoms:
- It is unilateral
- It feels with pulsations
- It affects only part or half of the head
- May be accompanied by photophobia (light intolerance)
- Nausea, vomiting and / or diarrhea may occur
Although each case is different and an episode of migraines can be triggered for biological, psychological, food or atmospheric changes, in the case of women who suffer from them, these may occur during menstruation, due to the decrease in estrogen that occurs during the cycle.
The probability of suffering migraines in pregnancy
According to a study on migraine and pregnancy, Migraine is the most frequent neurological problem during pregnancy, although the intensity can vary between each woman.
Between 60% and 70% of women suffering from migraine significantly improve their symptoms during pregnancy, while about 30% of them do not feel improvement when they suffer from an episode of migraine, and in 5% of them, migraine worsens in pregnancy
In the case of those who feel improvement in migraines during pregnancy, it is due to the absence of estrogen fluctuations (which we mentioned as a cause of a migraine episode during menstruation).
Does migraine affect my baby?
The answer is no. It does not negatively influence the baby, nor does it increase the risk of presenting any complications such as risk of abortion or fetal malformations.
In general, Headaches, migraines or migraines during pregnancy are not a cause for concern, but we must be alert to other symptoms or if the pain is too intense (in case it is not migraine or has never been previously suffered) and consult it with our doctor.
However, a study a few years ago found that suffering from persistent migraines in pregnancy could increase the risk of suffering a stroke or a heart attack, so It is very important to tell the doctor if you have migraines and attend all controls during pregnancy.
Migraine treatment during pregnancy
The main problem of suffering migraines in pregnancy, is the treatment, because during this stage you should avoid the use of medications. Paracetamol is the only analgesic that is allowed during pregnancy, but it is still recommended to avoid it completely because studies have found that the risk of the baby suffering from certain diseases increases.
According to the study we mentioned, there are some medications that can be taken in the specific case of migraines in pregnancy and should only be recommended by your doctor. You should never use the migraine medications you took before pregnancy, because they could cause malformations in the baby or increase the risk of abortion.
Some preventive measures or natural remedies for migraine can be the following:
- Sleep. Although it can be difficult, try to sleep and rest in a dark and quiet place. When doing so, remember to lie on your left side to improve blood circulation.
- Find a quiet space. If you can't sleep, at least look for peace of mind, away from crowds, loud sounds and lights or any external stimulus that can make migraine worse.
- Drink liquids Staying hydrated may help reduce the discomfort of migraine.
- Use relaxation techniques. Meditating or doing relaxing exercise such as yoga could help decrease migraine.
Another tip is to write down when migraine episodes occur, in order to identify the triggers and thus do everything possible to avoid or reduce the occurrence of migraines in pregnancy.
