Survey study, 2021
What is menstrual migraine and how common is it?
Menstrual migraine is migraine linked to menstruation more often than by chance. It affects 20-25% of women with migraines in the general population and 22-70% of people seen at headache clinics. These migraines cause more disability than non-menstrual migraines.
What they did
This is a review of research on menstrual migraine. The authors examined how common it is, how disabling it is, what causes it, and how it is treated.
What they found
About 20-25% of women with migraines in the general population have menstrual migraine, and 22-70% of people who come to headache clinics have it. In women with menstrual migraine, attacks around the time of the period cause much more disability than their other migraine attacks. Two mechanisms have been identified as possible causes: estrogen withdrawal and prostaglandin release. However, treatments that target these mechanisms do not have strong evidence that they work well.
What it means for you
Menstrual migraine is common and causes significant disability, but it is not well understood. More research is needed to figure out how it develops and to find better treatments.
20-25%
Prevalence in female migraineurs (general population)
22-70%
Prevalence in headache clinic patients
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual migraine: a distinct disorder needing greater recognition
- Authors
- Vetvik KG, MacGregor EA
- Journal
- The Lancet. Neurology
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None—this is a review of research, not a test of a treatment
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(20)30482-8
Topics
Related studies
Cohort study, 2025
Does migraine affect your ability to think clearly?
Cohort study, 2006
How should severe period pain in teenagers be treated?
Study, 2001
Does estrogen or progesterone affect magnesium levels in brain blood vessels?
Survey study, 1997
Do women with PMS or menstrual migraine respond differently to stress?
Systematic review, 2025
Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS?
Systematic review, 2023
What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy?