Symptoms of Migraine Headaches During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, migraine sufferers may experience a change in frequency of headaches. There is no way to predict whether a person will have an increase or a decrease in migraines. Most symptoms of a migraine do not change for pregnant women. The fluctuating hormones, dietary changes, weight gain, morning sickness and sleepiness can lead to an increase in migraines. After the first trimester, a woman may be fortunate and experience a decrease in migraines. Any migraine sufferer should contact her medical professional if the symptoms vary from the norm or are accompanied by a fever. Pregnant women should be extra cautious as migraine medications are not typically safe for an unborn child.

Pain

Many migraine sufferers learn to identify a migraine before it fully sets in. The initial pain may be dull but distinct if you have had a migraine before. This early pain may be felt in the temples, the front, or the back of the head. For some pregnant women, drinking fluids or resting can lessen the migraine or stop it. As the migraine progresses, the pain may increase in intensity and begin to pulsate. Besides resting, nearly any activity may increase the pain of the migraine. Sounds can be irritating as well.

Vision

Some pregnant women may identify flashing lights, dots of light or any other bright spots in their vision. These are called migraine auras. Bright lights may seem more intense to the eyes and may trigger a pulse of pain in the head. This is often why migraine sufferers prefer darkness until the headache subsides. Should you experience blurred vision, contact your health care provider. Be sure to seek help during the migraine as you may not know what it will be like during pregnancy. Your hormone levels are different, as is your weight, and it may effect you differently.

Nausea

Pregnant women may already experience nausea during the first trimester or even the entire pregnancy. Nausea brought on by a migraine is likely to accompany the other symptoms of the headache. Thus, nausea alone is not a symptom of a migraine. What causes your morning sickness may further aggravate a migraine. Examples of this may be strong scents, certain foods and being in an overly warm environment.