Risk Factors

Risk Factors

About 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. They affect up to 18% of women and 6% of men. In fact, 70% of all migraine sufferers are women. This significantly greater incidence in women holds true throughout the world and in every culture. Although the incidence of migraine is similar for boys and girls during childhood, it increases in girls after puberty.

Hormone Fluctuations in Women. Most migraines in women develop during the hormonally active years between adolescence and menopause. Fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone, rather than their presence, appear to increase the risk for migraines and their severity in some women.

• About half of women with migraines report headaches associated with their menstrual cycle, although true menstrual migraines may actually be less common. True menstrual migraines tend not to have auras and to increase in prevalence between 2 days before and 5 days after the onset of period.
• The first 3 months of pregnancy can worsen migraines in some women, although one study reported that pregnancy had little effect one way or the other on severity in most women with chronic headaches.
• Women whose migraines are affected by pregnancy or menstruation are also likely to have worse migraines if they take oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapies.

Age

General Age of Onset. More than 20% of adults with migraines report that their headaches started before age 10, and over 45% say they started before age 20. The prevalence of migraine declines in both men and women after age 40.

Migraine in Children. Migraine headaches occur in all ages and can appear in children as young as 4 years of age. Migraines in children are equally prevalent in boys and girls. Studies estimate that about 4 – 10% of all children suffer from migraine. Research indicates that overweight children may be especially susceptible to headaches, although this association is most likely due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise than excess weight. Children who have sleep problems, especially difficulty falling asleep, may also be more prone to migraines.