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  • Title: [Migraine and oral contraceptives].
    Author: Moreau L, Philbert M.
    Journal: Therapeutique; 1970 Mar; 46(3):279-81. PubMed ID: 5422194.
    Abstract:
    The relationship of oral contraceptives to migraine headaches is reviewed. Although progestagens have long been known to relieve migraine, progestagens are thought to be responsible, because the headaches tend to appear in the days between pill cycles. As in pregnancy, oral contraceptives relieve migraine in some women, but probably migraines appear or are aggravated in more women (3.2-60%). In 30% of the women in one study, migraines were replaced by milder but constant tension headaches, thought to be due to guilt feelings over contraception. The declining level or ratio to estrogen of progestagens probably brings on migrains, therefore formulation lower in progestagens will lessen the indicence of migraines. 2 other explanations offered for the mechanism of progestagens in causing migraines are abnormal EEG patterns and abnormal structure of arterioles observed in endometrium, but postulated also to occur in the cerebral vessels. It seems that lower doses of progestagens, particularly for women without migraines, or low dose continuous progestagens for women with migraine should be prescribed.
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