Face the pain, HEAD ON

Headaches during pregnancy can be troublesome, but, unless there’s a more serious underlying cause, they’re pretty normal, especially in the first and third trimesters.

- Melany Bendix

DR LOUIS GRUNDLINGH, an obstetrician/gynaecologist practising from Mediclinic Panorama in Cape Town, explains that low-grade headaches tend to be more common during the first trimester, because this is the time when your body experiences a surge in hormones and an increase in blood volume – two factors that can make your head throb quite unpleasantly.

You’re even more likely to suffer from headaches if you’re under stress and/ or have poor posture. Other factors that aggravate headaches include: not getting enough sleep, dehydration, and caffeine withdrawal (if you’re doing the smart thing and kicking your coffee and fizzy-drink habit).

Dr Grundlingh notes that if you’re pregnant and suffering from frequent headaches, other medical conditions must be excluded. These include low blood pressure, low iron levels, eye/ vision problems, abnormal glucose levels and thyroid problems.

Third-trimester headaches are usually the result of poor posture and tension from carrying extra weight, and these headaches will also be aggravated by stress, not getting enough sleep, and dehydration.

However, headaches in the second or third trimester might be caused by high blood pressure, which Dr Grundlingh stresses is important to watch out for, as it can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. This is a pregnancy complication that usually only begins 20 weeks or more into pregnancy. An increase in blood pressure, even a slight one, may be a sign of pre-eclampsia. If left untreated, pre-eclampsia can be serious – even fatal – for you and your baby.

There’s not a lot you can take for headaches while pregnant. “Paracetamol is safe to use, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen) also can be used up to 32 weeks,” says Dr Grundlingh, who emphasises the importance of checking with your doctor or healthcare provider before taking any medication while pregnant.