# Sexual dysfunction in women with migraines: a systematic review

## TL;DR

This review finds that sexual dysfunction is common in women with migraines, and factors like anxiety, depression, and migraine frequency may contribute.

## Contribution

The study provides a systematic review establishing the prevalence and contributing factors of sexual dysfunction in women with migraines.

## Key findings

- Sexual dysfunction prevalence in women with migraines ranges from 22.6% to 90%, with a pooled prevalence of 69%.
- Migraine characteristics like frequency and duration are associated with higher rates of sexual dysfunction.
- Anxiety and depression show a bi-directional correlation with sexual dysfunction in migraine patients.

## Abstract

The goal of this systematic review is to establish the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women with migraines. Secondarily, this review explores factors contributing to the relationship between sexual dysfunction and migraine in women.

A thorough search of PubMed from inception to June 17, 2024 was completed. Search terms included migraine related terms and sexual dysfunction outcome related terms. Two independent reviewers assessed articles for relevance and extracted information from selected articles.

In this review, a thorough search of the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases yielded 16 studies with 1,715 participants. The results demonstrated prevalence rates of sexual dysfunction in female migraine patients between 22.6% and 90%. There was a pooled prevalence of 69% (95% CI 61–77%) with substantial between-study heterogeneity (I2 = 78.73%). Prevalence rates of sexual dysfunction were higher in women with migraine than in healthy controls. Migraine characteristics, such as duration, frequency, and pain are associated with sexual dysfunction. A bi-directional correlation exists between psychological factors, such as anxiety and depression, and sexual dysfunction in patients with migraine.

Migraines are associated with profound impacts on health-related quality of life. Sexual dysfunction is commonly associated with migraine in female patients, indicating that clinicians should routinely screen for sexual dysfunction in this population. Anxiety and depression may play a significant role in female sexual dysfunction in migraine.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00737-025-01650-6.

Sexual dysfunction is common in patients with migraines, and female sex is a major risk factor.

Migraine characteristics, like frequency and duration, may be associated with increased prevalence of sexual dysfunction.

Anxiety and depression may contribute to the relationship between migraines and sexual dysfunction.

There is no consensus on the relationship between headache-related pain and the degree of female sexual dysfunction.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00737-025-01650-6.