Migraine History Appears to Increase Risk for Peripartum Depression and Anxiety

A history of migraine may be a risk factor for anxiety symptoms in mid-pregnancy and for mixed symptoms of depression and anxiety in later stages of pregnancy, according to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

“In the present study, we examined symptoms of depression and anxiety separately and combined at three time points during and after pregnancy in a population-based cohort of women with and without migraine history,” researchers wrote. “To our knowledge, this is the first study separately assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and mixed depression and anxiety at multiple time points in the peripartum period in migraineurs.”

The investigation included a sample of 4831 women, with a migraine prevalence between of 17% and 18%, in Sweden. Participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at gestational weeks 17 and 32 and at postpartum week 6.

According to results, a history of migraine was associated with anxiety at gestational week 17. Researchers reported an adjusted odds ratio of 1.69. At gestational week 31, migraine was associated with mixed depression and anxiety; the adjusted odds ratio was 1.45.

At 6 weeks postpartum, however, associations between migraine and either depression, anxiety, or mixed depression and anxiety were not significant after adjustment for confounding factors, the study found.

“Our results suggest that different pathophysiological mechanisms may be responsible for the association between migraine and depression and/or anxiety at different time points throughout the peripartum period,” researchers wrote. “Future studies are needed to determine which mechanisms are responsible for these differences.”

Reference

Welander NZ, Mwinyi J, Asif S, Schiöth HB, Skalkidou A, Fransson E. Migraine as a risk factor for mixed symptoms of peripartum depression and anxiety in late pregnancy: a prospective cohort study. J Affect Disord. 2021;295:733-739.