A woman may develop a headache in the peripartum period. The cause may range from simple to serious.
Differential diagnosis of peripartum or postpartum headache:
(1) primary headache disorder (tension, migraine, etc)
(2) postdural puncture headache
(3) preeclampsia or eclampsia
(4) meningitis
(5) acute ischemic stroke
(6) intracerebral and/or subarachnoid hemorrhage
(7) cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
(8) posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome
(9) reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
where:
• Preeclampsia may appear up to 6 weeks postpartum (delayed postpartum preeeclampsia).
