Understanding migraine in women: Evidence-based educational resources for HCPs

October 12, 2026
Provided by AAFP partner
Female patient consults with a healthcare professional in an exam room.

Migraine is more common and more disabling in women than in men, affecting women across their lifespan, and is often influenced by hormonal changes.1,2

Read below to learn more and explore this evidence‑based educational resource, which provides clinically relevant information to support your understanding of migraine in women, including epidemiology, disease burden, underlying biology, and presentation across key reproductive life stages.

New guidance for migraine screening in girls and women

To reduce the burden of migraine on women and society, the American Headache Society advocates for annual migraine screening to be integrated into routine preventive care for girls and women.1

Migraine is approximately three times more prevalent in women than in men.3,4

Migraine is the leading cause of disability among women of reproductive age worldwide.2 Compared with men, women with migraine may experience5-10:

  • More frequent and more intense headaches
  • Greater migraine‑related disability
  • Higher risk of chronification

Migraine throughout a woman’s lifespan

  • Migraine can be triggered by fluctuations in estrogen and other reproductive hormones throughout a woman’s lifetime.10
  • The incidence of migraine rises steeply at puberty, peaks during the reproductive years, and subsides after menopause.4
Access the resource

Visit ratemigraine.com​ for more educational resources.

  1. 1.

    Schwedt TJ, et al. Headache. 2026;66:511–516

  2. 2.

    Andreou AP, et al. J Headache Pain. 2019;20:117

  3. 3.

    Labastida Ramírez A, et al. Cephalalgia. 2019;39:435–444

  4. 4.

    Krause DN, et al. Nat Rev Neurol. 2021;17:621–633

  5. 5.

    Dodick DW. Lancet. 2018;391:1315–1330

  6. 6.

    Stewart WF, et al. Cephalalgia. 2008;28:1170–1178

  7. 7.

    Vetvik KG, et al. Lancet Neurol. 2017;16:76–87

  8. 8.

    Buse DC, et al. Headache. 2013;53:1278–1299

  9. 9.

    Steiner TJ, et al. J Headache Pain. 2020;21:137

  10. 10.

    Sacco S, et al. J Headache Pain. 2012;13:177–189

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