Effect of Migraine on Pregnancy Planning: Insights From the American Registry for Migraine Research

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effect of migraine on women's pregnancy plans. Patients and Methods Participants were enrolled in the American Registry for Migraine Research, an observational study that recruits patients from headache specialty clinics across the United States. Data for this analysis were collected via patient-completed questionnaires completed from February 1, 2016, through September 23, 2019. Participants were adult women with migraine who answered the American Registry for Migraine Research family planning questions. Results Of 607 women, 19.9% (n=121) avoided pregnancy because of migraine. Compared with women who did not avoid pregnancy, those who did were younger (37.5±9.2 years vs 47.2±13.3 years; P Conclusion Migraine effects pregnancy plans of many women, especially of those who are younger and have menstrual migraine and chronic migraine. Women who avoid pregnancy because of migraine believe that migraine will worsen during pregnancy, make their pregnancy difficult, and have negative effects on their child. Study results highlight the importance of educating women with migraine about the relationships between migraine and pregnancy so that informed family planning decisions can be made.