When it comes to treating migraine, it’s important that you discuss with your medical provider what medications are safe during pregnancy.
“Acetaminophen is considered first-line medication therapy for headache in pregnancy,” says Dao. “Second-line agents include a class of migraine medications called triptans, which have shown to be effective, with growing evidence that they are relatively safe during pregnancy. There is growing evidence of other migraine medications that have been deemed safe during pregnancy, so it is always important to talk to your doctor regarding your options.”
Triptans
Triptans cannot prevent your migraine attacks, but they can stop the pain by altering blood circulation in the brain and changing how your brain processes the pain.
Your doctor may recommend sumatriptan, as it has been used most commonly in the past, without adverse effects.
A few other triptans, such as rizatriptan, zolmitriptan, and eletriptan, have been logged by major pregnancy studies, and were found to have no increased risk of birth defects.
Occipital Nerve Blocks
Occipital nerve blocks are a pain relief treatment that injects local anesthetic, such as lidocaine, near the occipital nerve on the back of the head.
Sometimes, this is combined with a steroid injection.
Anti-Nausea Medications
Your doctor might also choose to prescribe anti-nausea medication if you experience additional nausea with migraine attacks. This might include cyclizine, ondansetron, or prochlorperazine. Discuss all potential side effects and any plans for breastfeeding with your doctor, as some anti-nausea medications, like promethazine, can affect milk production.
Others, such as ondansetron, which is connected to heart-rhythm problems, may not have enough history of proven use during pregnancy to be categorized as safe.