Hormone Therapy Linked to More Migraines
A systematic review presented at The Menopause Society's annual meeting ties postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy to higher migraine incidence and frequency.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Women’s Health
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Researchers led by Flavia Fairbanks Ruano, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine reported that postmenopausal women using hormone replacement therapy had a pooled migraine incidence of 18.94 percent. The findings were presented at The Menopause Society's annual meeting in San Diego.
Why it matters
The analysis suggests hormone replacement therapy is associated with more frequent migraine attacks, a consideration for women weighing treatment options for menopausal symptoms. Stephanie Faubion, M.D., the society's medical director, said more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
The pooled review, covering five studies and 23,702 women, reports an association rather than a causal effect between hormone therapy and migraine frequency. The authors did not find significant differences in analgesic use or migraine severity, and the causal mechanism remains unresolved.
The players
Stephanie Faubion, M.D.
Faubion is the medical director of The Menopause Society, a leading professional organization focused on midlife women's health, and she cautioned that more research is needed before drawing conclusions.
Flavia Fairbanks Ruano, M.D., Ph.D.
Ruano is a researcher at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who led the systematic review of hormone therapy and migraine outcomes.
The details
Flavia Fairbanks Ruano, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine examined incidence, severity, frequency, duration, and fluctuations in estrogenic levels across the included studies. The review found that hormone therapy was associated with more migraine attacks and longer migraine episodes in postmenopausal women.
Timeline
- October 20 to 24, 2026: The Menopause Society's annual meeting in San Diego presented the study.
- November 3, 2026: An article reporting the study findings was published.
Health Landscape
The review adds migraine frequency to the menopause research discussed at The Menopause Society's annual meeting, a venue where clinicians weigh the benefits and risks of hormone therapy for symptom relief. The findings extend ongoing scrutiny of hormone replacement therapy's side effects beyond the cardiovascular and cancer risks that have long shaped prescribing decisions.
Women considering hormone replacement therapy for menopause should discuss migraine history with their clinicians, since the review links the treatment to more frequent attacks. Because the association is not yet established as causal, patients should not stop prescribed therapy without medical guidance.
The takeaway
Women with migraines who are weighing hormone therapy should raise the reported link with their doctor. The findings are preliminary, so treatment decisions should rest on individual risk and medical advice.
Further reading
Explore more in Women's Health for context on hormone therapy and menopausal symptoms in the United States.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Neurology Advisor.
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Would migraine risk change whether you'd start hormone therapy after menopause?
