What should you know about really bad headache while pregnant?

Pregnancy can bring headaches through changing hormones, disrupted sleep, missed meals, stress, dehydration, or eyesight strain. Colds and sinus symptoms may also cause head and facial pressure. A severe or unfamiliar headache can sometimes signal a pregnancy complication involving blood pressure, especially when it comes with visual changes, swelling, pain under the ribs, nausea, or feeling very unwell. A headache does not by itself identify the cause.

Tell your maternity team about the timing, severity, previous headache history, and any medicine you have taken. They may need to check your blood pressure, urine, and other symptoms.

Contact your maternity unit or obstetric clinician for advice about a severe or ongoing headache. While arranging help, rest somewhere quiet, drink fluids in small amounts, and eat a light snack if you can. Do not start, stop, or combine pain medicines without checking that they are suitable during pregnancy. Do not drive yourself if you have visual disturbance, weakness, dizziness, or confusion.

Seek emergency care now for a sudden severe headache, seizure, fainting, confusion, weakness, trouble speaking, loss of vision, severe breathlessness, or a stiff neck with fever. Contact maternity services urgently for severe pain that does not settle, a headache with flashing lights or blurred vision, sudden swelling of the face or hands, upper abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, or markedly reduced wellbeing. These signs need assessment rather than watchful waiting.

Ask whether your blood pressure and urine need checking, which pain relief is appropriate at your stage of pregnancy, and whether your symptoms could reflect a pregnancy-related blood pressure problem. Ask exactly where to go if the headache returns overnight.