Survey: Menstrual Migraine Is Predictable but Often Undertreated

Written by Ted Samson

Posted on September 22, 2026

Feel better informed on migraines and get real support from your community.

Key Takeaways

Migraine attacks tied to the menstrual cycle are common, and a new survey shows that while most people can predict when these attacks will happen, very few have a plan in place to manage them.
The 2026 National Women's Migraine Survey found that attacks around menstruation tend to be more severe than attacks at other times of the month, and many people are missing work, school, or social activities as a result. The survey also revealed a diagnosis gap, with nearly all respondents screening positive for menstrual migraine but very few having ever received that diagnosis from a healthcare provider.
Tracking when your migraine attacks happen in relation to your menstrual cycle and sharing that information with a healthcare provider can be a helpful first step toward getting care that fits your needs.

Migraine attacks linked to the menstrual cycle can often be predicted, but many people may not have a plan to prevent or manage them, according to findings from the 2026 National Women’s Migraine Survey.

Among respondents:

96%

said their attacks were somewhat or very predictable — but just 24 percent had a proactive management plan.

81%

said migraine attacks around their period were more severe than attacks at other times of the month.

60%

reported that migraine significantly affected them for three or more days during each menstrual cycle.

The findings point to a gap between knowing when migraine is likely to occur and having treatment designed around that predictable pattern.

🗳️ Have you spoken with a doctor about connections between your menstrual cycle and migraine attacks?

Yes, and the conversation was helpful.

Yes, but the conversation was not helpful.

No, but I’d like to.

No, and I don’t plan to.

What Is Menstrual Migraine?

Around 50 percent of women in the U.S. with migraine are affected by menstrual migraine. Menstrual migraine is a subtype of migraine in which attacks occur in connection with menstruation. Menstrual migraine attacks aren’t considered a regular symptom of menstruation.

The recognized window runs from two days before menstrual bleeding starts through the third day of bleeding.

There are two types:

With pure menstrual migraine, attacks occur during this window and not at other times of the month.
With menstrually related migraine, attacks happen around menstruation as well as at other times in the menstrual cycle.

Hormone changes appear to play an important role. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall before menstruation. The drop in estrogen may make the nervous system more vulnerable to a migraine attack, in part through its effects on calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a substance involved in migraine pain.

What Did the Study Find?

The 2026 National Women’s Migraine Survey included 225 U.S. women ages 18 to 50 who experienced migraine symptoms around their period.

Overall, the findings suggest that menstrual migraine can have a substantial effect on daily life, yet many people may not be getting care tailored to this predictable pattern. The survey identified gaps in planning, diagnosis, and conversations about treatment, even among respondents who knew when their attacks were likely to occur.

Most Respondents Could Predict Attacks, but Few Had a Plan

One of the clearest findings involved what the report calls a “predictability paradox.” Nearly everyone surveyed — 95.5 percent — said they could predict their attacks to some degree. Yet more than half said they generally waited until an attack began before taking action. Nearly 1 in 4 had a proactive management plan.

Menstrual Migraine Can Affect More Than the Days of an Attack

For many respondents, menstrual migraine affected work, social activities, exercise, and relationships.

Six in 10 said migraine significantly affected them for at least three days during each cycle. Over a year, that can add up to 36 or more days of reduced functioning for someone who has about one cycle each month.

During the previous 12 months, 71 percent said they had missed work or school at least sometimes because of menstrual migraine. Nearly all respondents reported some loss of productivity during attacks.

Many Respondents Didn’t Have a Menstrual Migraine Diagnosis

The survey also highlighted a diagnosis gap. All 225 respondents reported headaches linked to their menstrual cycle. Based on their answers to a screening tool used for menstrual migraine, 99 percent would have screened positive.

However, just 2 percent reported a diagnosis of pure menstrual migraine, and 22 percent had a diagnosis of menstrually related migraine.

That wasn’t because respondents weren’t discussing migraine with healthcare professionals. Eighty-two percent said they’d specifically discussed menstrual migraine symptoms with a healthcare provider.

Among respondents who had not received a specific menstrual migraine diagnosis, 30 percent said they’d been told their symptoms were “normal” or “just hormonal.” Around 20 percent said no healthcare provider had ever inquired about their menstrual cycle in the context of migraine care.

Why These Findings Matter for People With Migraine

If your migraine attacks tend to happen around your period, it may be worth bringing that pattern up with your healthcare provider. Keeping track of when attacks occur in relation to your menstrual cycle can help make that conversation more useful.

The American Migraine Foundation recommends recording details such as: