Migraine is a complex neurological condition that can disrupt many aspects of daily life.ⁱ For many women, it remains misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and undertreated, despite being both common and highly disabling.ⁱ

Migraine has an estimated prevalence of over one billion cases globallyⁱⁱ and it ranks second among the world’s leading causes of disability – and first among women aged 15-49.ⁱⁱⁱ Studies show that migraine affects women two to three times more than men, and women often face longer, more frequent and intense headache pain.^iv,v,vi,vii

For a condition with this level of impact, improving care starts with understanding how migraine affects women.

The Hormonal Connection: Migraine Affects Women Differently

While a combination of factors can influence migraines for women – including genetics, brain biology, and environmental aspects – hormones can play a particularly significant role.^iv,viii

“Migraine for many women is intertwined with the body’s hormonal rhythms,” said Eynat Ben Ari, Medical Advisor, Organon Europe East, Israel (EEI). “We see this most clearly around menstruation, when hormonal shifts can increase both the frequency and intensity of attacks. But this relationship can span across reproductive life stages – from puberty through menopause – shaping how migraine may be experienced at each stage.”

• Early Onset: Migraine prevalence is similar in boys and girls before puberty, but it becomes about three times more common in women afterward – a change linked to female sex hormones, particularly estrogen.^ix
• Menstrual Migraine: Typically affects approximately 50% to 70% of women suffering from migraine and these attacks are often more severe, longer lasting, and less responsive to treatment.^v,x,xi
• During Pregnancy: Many women experience improvement during pregnancy, with attacks becoming less frequent and less severe, particularly from the second trimester onward.^xi
• Post Partum: The recurrence rate of migraine attacks may increase, especially during the first month, as it’s a time when people are often exhausted, not sleeping well and dealing with stress.^xii
• Perimenopause: Shifting hormone levels can trigger new or worsening attacks – often alongside symptoms like hot flashes or night sweats.^xiii

Migraine’s Impact Beyond the Pain: The Missed Days

For those living with migraine, it may affect time spent with loved ones, personal and work relationships, and some individuals may feel misunderstood or isolated.

“Migraine can arrive without warning and leave you feeling unlike yourself long after the pain subsides,” said Angela Amend Kwasnik, Head of Organon’s Global Migraine Business. “As someone who lives with migraines, it’s meant missing everyday moments – whether sitting out a beach volleyball game because a migraine with aura made it difficult to see the ball or spending a holiday in a dark room while my family gathered downstairs. It’s why I feel so passionately about the work we do – to help ensure patients’ experiences are recognized, so care can evolve to better reflect their individual needs.”

Advancing Recognition and Care – More Days for Her, Not Migraine

Migraine can present in different forms. Although there is currently no cure, it is generally a condition that can be treated.^xv Despite its far-reaching impact, many women still feel dismissed or misunderstood, including within the healthcare system.^{xvi,xvii,xviii}

Effective care is not one-size-fits-all. It often requires a personalized, multidisciplinary approach that reflects the connection between neurological and women’s health.^xix This may include^xv,xx:

• Preventative treatments that aim to reduce how often attacks occur, how long they last, and how severe they become
• Acute treatments that can help stop or reduce the intensity of an attack once it begins

At Organon, we are committed to advancing both preventative and acute care for patients, especially women, living with migraine – through medicines, commercialization collaborations, and efforts that help expand access and awareness. We envision a future where this condition receives comprehensive, empathetic care, women’s voices are heard, and the full impact of migraine, both during and between attacks, is fully recognized.

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[i] Vaghi G, et al. Who cares about migraine? Pathways and hurdles in the European region – access to care III. J Headache Pain 2023;24:120.

[ii] GBD 2017 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet 2018;392:1789-1858.

[iii] Steiner TJ, et al. Migraine remains second among the world’s causes of disability, and first among young women: findings from GBD2019. J Headache Pain 2020;21(1):137.

[iv] Allais G, et al. Gender-related differences in migraine. Neurol Sci. 2020;41(S2):429-436.

[v] Kuruvilla D, et al. Understanding migraine throughout a woman’s life and the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide: A narrative review. Women’s Health. 2025;21. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057251376878

[vi] Ghadiri-Sani M. Migraine in women: a review. Curr Opin Neurol. 2025;38(3):271-276.

[vii] Vetvik KG, MacGregor EA. Sex differences in the epidemiology, clinical features, and pathophysiology of migraine. Lancet Neurol. 2017;16(1):76-87. PMID: 32971471; DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(16)30293-9

[viii] Schroeder RA, et al. Sex and Gender Differences in Migraine-Evaluating Knowledge Gaps. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2018 Aug;27(8):965-973. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2018.7274. PMID: 30129895; PMCID: PMC13175185.

[ix] Broner S, et al. Migraine in Women. Semin Neurol. 2017;37(6):601-610. DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1607393.

[x] Zhang H, et al. Comparative efficacy of different treatments for menstrual migraine: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Headache Pain. 2023; 24(1). DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01625-x

[xi] Gaalon S, et al. Headaches during pregnancy. Revue neurologique. 2021;177(3):195-202. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurol.2020.05.012

[xii] Allais G, et al. Migraine during pregnancy and in the puerperium. Neurol Sci. 2019;40(1):81-91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-03792-9

[xiii] Waliszewska-Prosół M, et al. Menopause, Perimenopause, and Migraine: Understanding the Intersections and Implications for Treatment. Neurology and Therapy. 2025;14: 665-680.

[xiv] Rutberg S, Öhrling K. Migraine – more than a headache: Women’s experiences of living with migraine. Disabil Rehabil. 2011;34(4):239-336.

[xv] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Migraine. Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/migraine. Last Accessed June 2026

[xvi] Casas-Limón J, et al. Unravelling Migraine Stigma: A Comprehensive Review of Its Impact and Strategies for Change. J Clin Med. 2024 Sep 3;13(17):5222. doi: 10.3390/jcm13175222. PMID: 39274435; PMCID: PMC11396411.

[xvii] The Migraine Trust. The Migraine Divide: How Gender, Ethnicity and Social Grade Impact Experience of Migraine in the Workplace, in Healthcare and Day-to-Day Life. Sept. 2024, https://migrainetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Migraine_Trust_Migraine_Divide_v2.pdf. [migrainetrust.org]

[xviii] The Migraine Trust. “Ethnicity, Gender and Social Class Shape Migraine Experience.” The Migraine Trust, 3 Dec. 2025, https://migrainetrust.org/news/ethnicity-gender-and-social-class-shape-migraine-experience/.

[xix] Barbanti P, Nappi RE. Framing and Management of Migraines in Women: An Expert Opinion on Challenges, Current Approaches, and Future Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Healthcare. 2025; 13(2):164. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13020164

[xx] Pescador Ruschel, et al. “Migraine Headache.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 2022, National Library of Medicine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/