Menstrually related migraine tends to occur at the same time each month, be it mid-cycle with ovulation, or at the beginning, middle or end of the period. Menstrual migraine tends to last longer than other migraines and tends to be more difficult to treat. That s why it helps to plan strategically by marking your period in your calendar, reducing your workload and commitments when possible, and minimizing other trigger factors. Most women with hormonally triggered migraine notice a marked improvement in their migraines during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and a return of their headache postpartum. A small percent of women develop migraine for the first time during pregnancy.
Early menopause is marked by extreme fluctuations in estrogen.
For this reason, many women with hormonally triggered migraine find their migraine worsening during this time. Luckily, many of these women find a dramatic improvement post menopause. For some however, migraine stays the same or gets worse. Medications that contain hormones, like the birth control pill and hormone replacement therapy can have the effect of not changing, decreasing or increasing migraines. For some women, they may have the effect of bringing on migraine for the first time, while for others, they are a treatment prescribed for their migraines.