---
title: Can birth control pills help prevent menstrual migraines? | Niyora
description: Some hormonal birth control products have been suggested to help prevent menstrual migraines, but this review does not provide clear evidence about which ones
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/current-topics-and-controversies-in-menstrual-migraine-2012/
---

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- Can birth control pills help prevent menstrual migraines?

Review, 2012

# Can birth control pills help prevent menstrual migraines?

Some hormonal birth control products have been suggested to help prevent menstrual migraines, but this review does not provide clear evidence about which ones work or what concerns exist.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with menstrual migraine (review of literature)

## What they did

Reviewed research and expert discussion on using combined hormonal contraceptives to prevent menstrual migraines.

## What they found

Menstrual migraine attacks are longer, more disabling, less responsive to acute treatment, and more prone to recurrence than non-menstrual migraine attacks. Some combined hormonal contraceptives have been suggested as preventive agents. The review examines specific products, concerns about them, non-contraceptive benefits, and their potential role in prevention.

## What it means for you

Hormonal birth control might help prevent menstrual migraines, which are harder to treat than regular migraines. This review identifies products and concerns but does not give definitive answers about which birth controls work best for menstrual migraine prevention.

## About the study

Original title Current topics and controversies in menstrual migraine Authors Calhoun AH Journal Headache Year 2012 Study design Review What was tested Combined hormonal contraceptives Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02130.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02130.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Migraine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-migraine/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Systematic review, 2023

What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy?

Survey study, 2021

Are migraines around the period worse than migraines at other times?

Review, 2019

How does the menstrual cycle affect migraine in women?

Randomised trial, 2013

Is frovatriptan better than other triptans for migraines caused by birth control?

Survey study, 2012

What treatments help menstrual migraine and PMS symptoms?

Survey study, 2018

Do women who get migraines during their period have more PMS symptoms?

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