Oral contraceptive use and parity status increase the risk of migraine: Study

Migraines are prevalent and often debilitating disorder which are now being associated to hormonal factors in women during their reproductive years. A recent study published in the Cephalalgia: An International Journal of Headache conducted in Norway highlighted on how female sex hormones can influence the occurrence of migraines.

The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study encompassed a total 62,959 women who were born between 1943 and 1965. Nearly a quarter of the participants (24.8%) reported a history of migraines. The research looked into both endogenous and exogenous exposure to female sex hormones by utilizing the self-reported data.

The study found a notable association between age at menarche and migraine risk. Women with a later onset of menstruation exhibited a decreased risk of migraines. The hazard ratio (HR) was 0.96, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.95–0.98.

Also, the use of oral contraceptives and parity (the number of children a woman has) were associated to an increased risk of migraines. Oral contraceptive use brought out an HR of 1.12 (95% CI = 1.06–1.18), while having children demonstrated an even higher risk with an HR of 1.37 (95% CI = 1.29–1.46).

These findings suggest a complicated relationship between hormonal factors and migraine susceptibility and emphasized the need for further research to establish the causality of these associations. Understanding these links could open the pathway for targeted interventions and more customized approaches to manage migraine, particularly in women.

Migraines can significantly impact the quality of life of a person. Thus, this research focuses on hormonal influences in understanding the origins of migraines but also potentially devise strategies in prevention and treatment tailored to any specific hormonal profile.

Reference:

Bugge, N. S., Grøtta Vetvik, K., Alstadhaug, K. B., & Braaten, T. (2024). Cumulative exposure to estrogen may increase the risk of migraine in women. Cephalalgia: An International Journal of Headache, 44(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/03331024231225972