Migraines in Pregnancy
Headaches are extremely common during pregnancy, especially in the first few months of pregnancy. Migraine headaches are also more common, even for women who previously have not had migraines. A migraine is a common type of headache, usually described as a severe or pulsating headache. Migraines are often accompanied by nausea and pain from bright lights. Some patients may also get an “aura” just before the headache starts.
The good news is that headaches usually improve as a pregnancy progresses.
Preventing a headache or migraine:
- Manage stress – stress can bring on headaches and although day to day stress is unavoidable, there are things that you can do to better cope with stress. Try deep breathing, yoga, or stretching.
- Avoid triggers – you may find that certain triggers set off your migraines. For example, not getting enough sleep or missing meals can cause migraines.
- Include exercise in your daily routine.
- Drink plenty of fluids – headaches can sometimes be caused by dehydration.
- For frequent migraines, taking magnesium supplements can help to prevent headaches. Take magnesium 200mg two to three times a day for prevention. Magnesium may cause loose stools so if you are noticing this symptom, reduce the amount of magnesium you are taking.
What to do when you have a headache?
- Have some caffeine – although we advise women to limit excessive caffeine in early pregnancy, 16 ounces of coffee or a caffeinated soda can improve headache symptoms quickly. This is safe to do even in the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Rest. If possible, try to limit the amount of screen time when you have a headache.
- Hydrate – as previously mentioned, headaches can be caused by dehydration.
Medication to stop migraines:
- Magnesium supplements – Magnesium 200mg three times a day can improve migraine symptoms.
- You may be prescribed Metoclopramide (Reglan) 10mg, an anti-nausea medication, for your migraine. This medication should be taken once daily and should be taken with Benadryl 25mg if recommended.
If things don’t get better… If you are experiencing a severe headache that is not improving, please reach out to our office immediately.