Study finds migraine, certain headache drugs linked to higher miscarriage risk

A large UK study covering more than 193,000 pregnancies found a link between migraine and miscarriage, with researchers reporting a modest increase in risk even after accounting for age, smoking, body mass index and other health conditions. The study, published early in 2026 in the journal Cephalalgia and based on primary care health records in the United Kingdom, found a miscarriage rate of 10.8% among women with migraine, compared with 10% among those without the condition. After adjusting for confounding factors, the elevated risk stood at roughly 8%. A sub-study examining more than 20,000 miscarriage cases looked at commonly used migraine treatments. Triptans, used for acute migraine attacks, were associated with a 24% increase in miscarriage risk, while amitriptyline was linked to a 25% increase. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers showed a 74% increase, and beta blockers showed no measurable change in risk. The researchers said the findings do not prove that the medications directly cause miscarriage and that further investigation is needed. Specialists recommended that migraine treatment during pregnancy be reviewed jointly by obstetricians and neurologists and that patients not stop therapy on their own.