Characteristics and imaging findings of headache in pregnancy and puerperium

The headache is a frequent symptom in the gestational and puerperium period, which encompasses a wide spectrum of
diagnostic possibilities. During pregnancy, multiple physiological, hemodynamic, hormonal and vascular changes occur, which when compounded or not with pre-existing conditions, induce the existence of this symptom. Therefore, headache can be a manifestation of a relatively self-limited condition or that of a life-threatening condition, including some pathological conditions such as venous thrombosis, preeclampsia, subarachnoid hemorrhage, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, and cerebrovascular accident, among others. Recognizing typical imaging findings makes it possible to exclude certain pathologies and even induce more accurate differential diagnoses, thereby avoiding therapeutic delays.