Investigating the Association Between Infantile Colic and Parental Migraine

To estimate the prevalence of infantile colic and determine its associated factors. Previous studies demonstrate that maternal migraine is significantly associated with increased odds of infantile colic. However, paternal migraine is not significantly associated with infantile colic.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of infants and parents. We surveyed all parents who brought healthy babies aged ≥3 months to our clinic. We determined the association of infantile colic with the following: child being the first- or nonfirst-born, breastfed or mixed- or formula-fed, sleeping without family or with family, and the mother and father having a history of migraine without or with aura. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were reported.

We included 352 babies (174 girls and 178 boys). Of these, 15 babies (4.3%; 7 girls and 8 boys) were diagnosed with infantile colic based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria. The prevalence of infantile colic among the children of fathers with a history of migraine without aura (12.8%) (P = 0.027) was significantly higher than that among the children of fathers who did not have a history of migraine (3.5%). Maternal migraine without aura was significantly associated with increased odds of infantile colic (OR: 3.23 [1.03-10.14]). Paternal migraine without aura was significantly associated with increased odds of infantile colic (OR: 4.08 [1.26-13.2]).

In this study, both maternal and paternal migraines without aura were associated with increased odds of infantile colic, suggesting a genetic influence.