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Women with endometriosis experience migraine prevalence up to 44.7% and a fivefold higher migraine risk, while endometriosis prevalence reaches 53.4% among women with migraine.
A large study involving nearly 289,519 women has revealed a strong connection between migraine and endometriosis, two common conditions that considerably affect women’s health. The findings suggest that women with endometriosis have a markedly higher risk of experiencing migraine, while migraine sufferers are also more likely to develop endometriosis.
Laura Gómez-Dabó and other researchers executed a systematic review of observational studies assessing the clinical links between migraine, endometriosis, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Four major scientific databases—MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library—along with grey literature sources were explored. Out of 408 initially identified studies, 15 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria for assessment.
Among these, 14 studies focused on endometriosis and one study examined PCOS, collectively including 289,519 individuals. All studies demonstrated acceptable methodological quality with scores of 6 or higher on the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (mNOS). The results showed that migraine is highly prevalent among women with endometriosis. In several studies, migraine prevalence reached up to 44.7%, and women with endometriosis had up to a fivefold elevated risk of developing migraine as opposed to those without the condition (adjusted odds ratio 5.35).
The relationship also appeared to be bidirectional. Among women diagnosed with migraine, the prevalence of endometriosis reached as high as 53.4%, and migraine sufferers illustrated a substantially increased likelihood of developing endometriosis, with an adjusted odds ratio of up to 10.5. However, the evidence regarding how endometriosis influences migraine characteristics, or how migraine affects endometriosis-related symptoms and disease severity, was inconsistent across studies.
Despite these mixed findings, women who experienced both conditions tended to report greater disease burden and functional impairment. This increased impact was reflected in higher scores on validated assessment tools such as the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) and the 30-item Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP-30), indicating worse quality of life and higher disability levels.
In contrast, the evidence linking PCOS and migraine remains limited. Only one eligible study evaluated this relationship, preventing researchers from attaining definitive conclusions.
Overall, the review highlights a prominent link between migraine and endometriosis, suggesting that clinicians should consider potential comorbidities when evaluating women with either condition. Researchers emphasize that further high-quality studies are needed to better comprehend the biological mechanisms connecting migraine, endometriosis, and PCOS, and to improve integrated treatment strategies for women’s neurological and reproductive health.
Cephalalgia
The interplay between migraine, endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome: A systematic review
Laura Gómez-Dabó et al.
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