Caesarean section and the association with migraine: a retrospective register-linked HUNT population cohort study

Abstract

Objectives To evaluate the association between caesarean section and migraine in a population-based register-linked cohort study. Setting Data from the population-based Nord-Trøndelag Health Studies (HUNT2 and HUNT3) were linked to information from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry. Participants 65 343 participants responded to the headache questions in any of the two HUNT studies. Only those answering the headache questions in HUNT2 or 3 and had information about mode of delivery in the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry (born after 1967) were included. Our final sample consisted of 6592 women and 4602 men, aged 19–41 years. Outcomes ORs for migraine given caesarean section. Analyses were performed in multivariate logistic regression models. Results After adjusting for sex, age and fetal growth restriction, delivery by caesarean section was not associated with migraine later in life (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.15). Delivery by caesarean section was associated with a reduced OR of non-migrainous headache (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.99). Conclusion No association was found between caesarean section and migraine in this population-based register-linked study.