Headaches during pregnancy: diagnosis and management

Although most headaches during pregnancy represent benign conditions, the health care provider should never take the occurrences lightly. Accurate diagnosis is essential. Therefore, a thorough history and examination that suggests the possibility of disease, until ruled out by proper assessment, must be conducted. Helping the client find ways to identify what triggers or precedes the headache and alternative strategies to relieve the discomfort are essential for successful management. Additionally, the pregnant woman needs to understand as much about the headache pattern as possible so as to prevent the occurrence or, at best, lessen the severity of the symptoms.