A study from Duke University Medical Center looked at the connection between migraines during pregnancy and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
Study authors started with the assumption that women who have migraines tend to also have vascular disease. And if you are at risk for one (migraines) or the other (cardiovascular disease), then you should be working to modify, control, or reduce your risk factors while pregnant.
The study looked at pregnancy discharge data for nearly seventeen million American women over a four year period (2000-2003). Out of those seventeen million women, nearly thirty-four thousand women had been treated for migraines. After sorting out the migraine sufferers, the study authors looked at other health problems.
Here’s what they found:
- Women who were treated for migraines during pregnancy were nineteen times more likely to suffer a stroke than those who were not.
- Women who were treated for migraines during pregnancy were five times more likely to suffer a heart attack.
- Women who were treated for migraines during pregnancy were twice as likely to develop heart disease, blood clots, and other cardiovascular problems.
- Women age 35 and older at the time of delivery were more likely to experience migraines while pregnant than younger mothers.
- Migraine with aura (in pregnant and non-pregnant women) is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
While there is a connection between the two, the study authors aren’t sure it is a cause and effect type of connection. Migraines during pregnancy aren’t a sure sign that you’re headed for a heart attack, stroke, or other type of cardiovascular disease. The researchers hope that being informed about the connection will lead people to take steps to protect their hearts.
People with migraines should treat them as a manageable condition. Make life better today and prevent complications tomorrow — just like you would with any chronic disease. Get treatment for your migraines. Manage your risk factors for heart disease and stroke (like body weight and blood pressure).