A shared genetic risk may link migraine headaches and pre-eclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication, according to a modern study.
Researchers in Denmark have uncovered evidence suggesting a connection between the two conditions, potentially opening new avenues for identifying individuals at higher risk and improving preventative care. Pre-eclampsia, characterized by high blood pressure and signs of organ damage during pregnancy, affects millions of women globally each year.
The study, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, combined data from the Danish Medical Birth Register and the national patient register, along with questionnaire and genetic information. Researchers analyzed data from 258,946 women who had at least one pregnancy lasting 20 weeks or more, were born in Denmark and were at least 15 years old at the time of their first delivery between 1997 and 2020.
The analysis included 229,485 women for assessing the risk of pre-eclampsia during a first pregnancy, 138,072 for evaluating the risk of recurrent pre-eclampsia, and 239,051 for examining the risk of migraine. A questionnaire cohort of 20,710 women was also included to analyze the association between pre-eclampsia and migraine, and a genetic cohort of 70,784 women – of whom 47,237 were used in the analysis of polygenic risk scores – was also examined.
The research found that women with migraine had a 32% increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia during their first pregnancy (OR 1.32) and a similar increased risk of recurrent pre-eclampsia (OR 1.32). Conversely, women who developed pre-eclampsia were 29% more likely to begin treatment with anti-migraine medication (HR 1.29). These findings were supported by the questionnaire data. Researchers identified significant associations between the risk of pre-eclampsia and polygenic risk scores for both migraine (OR 1.12) and severe, recurrent headaches (1.09).
The study highlights the importance of considering migraine history when assessing a woman’s risk for pre-eclampsia, and vice versa. The authors suggest that future research should focus on understanding the shared biological mechanisms underlying these two conditions. Davidsson OB, Rostgaard K, Kristjánsson RP, et al. Epidemiological and genetic evidence for shared mechanisms between migraine and pre-eclampsia: a nationwide cohort and genetic risk study in Denmark. Lancet Obstet Gynaecol Womens Health. 2026;2:e51-61.
