A history of migraine may increase the likelihood of pregnancy complications, according to findings published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Natalie Bello, MD, MPH, and colleagues followed nearly 10,000 participants through pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Adverse outcomes were defined as gestational hypertension, preterm birth, a small-forgestational-age infant, or stillbirth, and migraine history—including before pregnancy was selfreported in the first trimester. Approximately 19% of 9,450 participants reported a diagnosis of migraine at their first visit. Participants who reported a migraine history had higher chances of developing hypertension during pregnancy, as well as both medically indicated and spontaneous preterm birth. The effect was larger for patients who reported recent use of a migraine medication. “We now know migraines may be an under-recognized risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes,” Dr. Bello said in a news release. “The reason for these associations remains unclear, but we suspect they might be related to pathways of inflammation, blood vessel dysfunction, or increased risk for blood clots.

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