Cluster headache in women - relation with menstruation,
use of oral contraceptives, pregnancy and menopause
Jorine A. van Vliet 1, Irene Favier 2*, Frans M Helmerhorst 2, Joost Haan 2 and Michel D Ferrari 2
1 Medical Centre Haaglanden, Netherlands
2 LUMC, Netherlands
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: i.favier{at}lumc.nl.
Accepted 17 November 2005
 | Abstract |
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Abstract
In contrast to migraine, little is known about the
relationship between cluster headache and menstrual
cycle, oral contraceptives, pregnancy and menopause.
We performed a population-based questionnaire study
among 224 female cluster headache patients, and studied
the possible effect of hormonal influences on cluster
headache attacks. For control data, a similar but
adjusted questionnaire was sent to healthy volunteers
and migraine patients.
We found that menstruation, use of oral contraceptives,
pregnancy and menopause had a much smaller influence on
cluster headache attacks than in migraine. Cluster
headache can, however, have a large impact on individual
women, for example to refrain from having children.
Keywords:
cluster headache, menopause, menstruation, oral contraceptives, pregnancy
