Brain & Nervous System Headaches Symptoms Recognizing Dangerous Headaches in Pregnancy When to Call Your Healthcare Provider By Mark Foley, DO Mark Foley, DO Facebook LinkedIn Mark Foley, DO, is a family physician practicing osteopathic manipulative medicine, herbal remedies, and acupuncture. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 12, 2022 Medically reviewed by Monique Rainford, MD Medically reviewed by Monique Rainford, MD Monique Rainford, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine. She is the former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Yale Health. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Types Headache and Preeclampsia Other Warning Signs Treatment Headaches in pregnancy can sometimes be a warning sign of a more serious problem like preeclampsia—a condition that involves high blood pressure. Here's what you need to know about the different types of headaches during pregnancy, how to recognize them, and what to do if you think your headache may be a sign of a dangerous complication. Verywell / Laura Porter Types of Headaches Headaches are classified by what causes them and fall into two categories: Primary headaches, where the pain itself is the only problemSecondary headaches, where the pain is caused by another medical condition About 40% of pregnant women report having headaches during pregnancy or postpartum (in the weeks after giving birth). Most are primary headaches and are less worrisome. However, research suggests that secondary causes of headaches may be more common among pregnant women than was previously thought. One study found that between 25% and 42% of pregnant women seeking treatment had a secondary headache. During the first trimester, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration due to morning sickness, hormonal causes, as well as low blood sugar and caffeine withdrawal, can trigger headaches. During the second and third trimesters, triggers include poor posture, lack of sleep, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Common types of headaches during pregnancy include: Tension headaches: Pain that feels like a tight band around your head, or pain in the neck and shoulders Migraines: Pain lasting hours, sometimes days, and may include blurred vision, light flashes, light sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting Sinus headaches: Pain or pressure around the forehead, cheeks and eyes, along with stuffy nose and congestion Cluster headaches: Pain usually around one eye or side of the head, wakes you up at night, and occurs in patterns Thunderclap headaches: Sudden, severe pain that peaks within a minute, lasts for at least five minutes, and can cause numbness and difficulty seeing, speaking, and walking It's important to tell your healthcare provider about any headaches you experience during pregnancy. Headache As a Preeclampsia Symptom When a headache during pregnancy is accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision, or blind spots, it's time to call your obstetrician or healthcare provider. These could be symptoms of serious complications, such as preeclampsia, a condition that usually occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy. Preeclampsia can damage organs like the liver or kidneys and lead to a low number of platelets, cells in the blood that are important in the clotting process. One study found that pregnant women with high blood pressure and a headache were 17 times more likely to suffer severe complications, like preeclampsia. Besides high blood pressure (hypertension), other signs and symptoms of preeclampsia include: Abdominal painProtein in the urineSwelling, usually in the feet, legs, face, and handsSudden weight gainNausea and vomiting Pregnant people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have a two- to four-fold risk of preeclampsia. Some people with preeclampsia develop a headache that resembles a migraine—a throbbing headache with nausea and/or a sensitivity to light or sound. This is another cue to contact your healthcare provider right away, especially if you don't normally get migraines or the pain is different, more intense, or longer lasting than the headaches you usually get. If preeclampsia is suspected you will likely be sent to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment. If you are determined to be at risk for preeclampsia early in your prenatal care, your healthcare provider may recommend that you take low-dose aspirin to help prevent preeclampsia and its related complications. This is usually started between 12 to 28 weeks, but ideally before 16 weeks. Left untreated, preeclampsia can develop into eclampsia, which includes seizures and possibly coma and blindness. Both conditions are dangerous, possibly even fatal to the mother and baby, and need to be treated urgently. Treatment generally involves delivery of the baby in addition to treating the mother with medications to bring the blood pressure down. Headaches Healthcare Provider Discussion Guide Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Download PDF Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Other Warning Signs Other headache red flags include a thunderclap headache, which causes severe pain that comes on suddenly. Many people describe this as the worst headache of their life. Additional symptoms of a thunderclap headache include: NumbnessDifficulty seeing, speaking, or walkingNausea, vomitingA high feverHigh blood pressure Contact your healthcare provider immediately, because thunderclap headaches and high blood pressure during late pregnancy can be signs of eclampsia, stroke, or a condition called pituitary apoplexy, or bleeding in the pituitary gland, which controls hormones important for growth, milk production, and other important bodily functions. Recap If you never get headaches and you get one during pregnancy, or the pain you're experiencing is different, more severe, or longer-lasting than your usual headaches, call your healthcare provider, as this can be a warning sign. Treatment The good news is that most headaches during pregnancy can be easily relieved with simple remedies like rest, relaxation, a cold compress, and eating and sleeping at regularly scheduled times. Managing your anxiety and stress is an important part of keeping you and your baby safe. Schedule time to do things for yourself, like going for walks or going out with friends. Maybe try biofeedback, or listen to music or a book on tape. Healthcare providers generally have considered acetaminophen safe for occasional use during pregnancy. However, in recent years, studies have raised the possibility of an association between prenatal use of acetaminophen and asthma, lower IQ, and other conditions among children. Another study suggested a possible link between using acetaminophen during pregnancy and behavioral and hyperactivity problems in children by age 7. Due to data limitations and the designs of the studies, researchers couldn't be sure whether it was the drug that caused these problems in children. Health officials have also warned that using two other kinds of painkillers during pregnancy—non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, and opioids such as codeine—may increase the risk of birth defects. So it's best to always check with your healthcare provider before taking any medication or herbal supplement to make sure it's safe for you and your baby. Summary Headaches during pregnancy are common. While they hurt, most aren't anything to worry about. However, changes in hormones, blood volume, and weight that occur naturally during pregnancy can make women more susceptible to headaches that are warning signs of serious medical complications like preeclampsia. It's important to call your healthcare provider if you suddenly start getting headaches, especially after your 20th week of pregnancy, or if the headaches you normally get change in location, severity, or duration. It's essential to seek care immediately if you have a headache and other symptoms of preeclampsia such as abdominal pain, swelling in the feet or legs, or problems seeing, walking, or talking. 10 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Robbins MS, Farmakidis C, Dayal AK, Lipton RB. Acute headache diagnosis in pregnant women: a hospital-based study. Neurology. 2015;85(12):1024-1030. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001954 Sandoe CH, Lay C. Secondary headaches during pregnancy: When to worry. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2019;19(6):27. doi:10.1007/s11910-019-0944-9 Negro A, Delaruelle Z, Ivanova TA, et al. Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review. J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):106. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0816-0 Weissgerber TL, Mudd LM. Preeclampsia and diabetes. Curr Diab Rep. 2015;15(3):9. doi:10.1007/s11892-015-0579-4 Jin J. Use of aspirin during pregnancy to prevent preeclampsia. JAMA. 2021;326(12):1222. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.15900 Cleveland Clinic. Thunderclap headaches. American Migraine Foundation. Thunderclap headaches. Toda K. Is acetaminophen safe in pregnancy? Scand J Pain. 2017;17:445-446. doi:10.1016/j.sjpain.2017.09.007 Liew Z, Ritz B, Rebordosa C, Lee PC, Olsen J. Acetaminophen use during pregnancy, behavioral problems, and hyperkinetic disorders. JAMA Pediatr. 2014;168(4):313-320. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.4914 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of pain medicine during early pregnancy may be related to birth defects. By Mark Foley, DO Mark Foley, DO, is a family physician practicing osteopathic manipulative medicine, herbal remedies, and acupuncture. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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