Primary headaches are a common neurological problem and affect more than 20% of the female population. Optimal treatment of headache attacks is an important goal during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the features of the treatment of primary headache during pregnancy from the point of view of women’s choice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A single-stage cross-sectional study including 369 women was conducted, patients were recruited using a continuous sampling method among patients of obstetric clinics in the city of Chelyabinsk. The diagnosis was established in accordance with the criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-3 beta, with further revision of diagnoses in accordance with the criteria of ICHD-3. All women who reported manage cephalalgia attacks before and during pregnancy.

RESULTS

During pregnancy, many women with primary headaches do not use medications for acute treatment of headache attack: if 64.5% used drugs before pregnancy, then 27.9% used drugs during pregnancy. Patients with tension type headache were significantly more likely to refuse drug therapy during pregnancy compared with patients with migraine. Pregnant women with migraines most often resorted to taking combined analgesics, and pregnant women with tension type headaches — paracetamol. Headaches cause apprehension and anxiety in pregnant women, many of them express the need to consult a neurologist, and more often patients with migraine.

CONCLUSION

A significant part of women with primary headaches use drugs during pregnancy to treat acute attack, while the choice of the drug does not always comply with generally accepted recommendations.