diff --git a/docx2everything/converters/markdown_converter.py b/docx2everything/converters/markdown_converter.py
index 0ff408f..559d52f 100644
--- a/docx2everything/converters/markdown_converter.py
+++ b/docx2everything/converters/markdown_converter.py
@@ -511,6 +511,9 @@ def parse_body_to_markdown(root, numbering_info=None, hyperlinks=None, images=No
     markdown_parts = []
     body = root.find(qn('w:body'))
     
+    if body is None and root.tag in (qn('w:hdr'), qn('w:ftr')):
+        body = root
+
     if body is None:
         return ''
     
@@ -616,7 +619,9 @@ def convert_to_markdown(zipf, filelist, img_dir=None):
             try:
                 header_xml = zipf.read(fname)
                 header_root = ET.fromstring(header_xml)
-                header_md = parse_body_to_markdown(header_root, numbering_info, hyperlinks, images, img_dir, zipf, footnotes=footnotes, endnotes=endnotes, comments=comments, styles_info=styles_info, charts=charts)
+                header_rels = 'word/_rels/' + os.path.basename(fname) + '.rels'
+                header_hyperlinks, header_images = parse_relationships(zipf, header_rels)
+                header_md = parse_body_to_markdown(header_root, numbering_info, header_hyperlinks, header_images, img_dir, zipf, footnotes=footnotes, endnotes=endnotes, comments=comments, styles_info=styles_info, charts=charts)
                 if header_md:
                     markdown_parts.append(header_md)
             except Exception:
@@ -641,7 +646,9 @@ def convert_to_markdown(zipf, filelist, img_dir=None):
             try:
                 footer_xml = zipf.read(fname)
                 footer_root = ET.fromstring(footer_xml)
-                footer_md = parse_body_to_markdown(footer_root, numbering_info, hyperlinks, images, img_dir, zipf, footnotes=footnotes, endnotes=endnotes, comments=comments, styles_info=styles_info, charts=charts)
+                footer_rels = 'word/_rels/' + os.path.basename(fname) + '.rels'
+                footer_hyperlinks, footer_images = parse_relationships(zipf, footer_rels)
+                footer_md = parse_body_to_markdown(footer_root, numbering_info, footer_hyperlinks, footer_images, img_dir, zipf, footnotes=footnotes, endnotes=endnotes, comments=comments, styles_info=styles_info, charts=charts)
                 if footer_md:
                     markdown_parts.append(footer_md)
             except Exception:
diff --git a/tests/test_markdown_header_footer.py b/tests/test_markdown_header_footer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..43d016d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_markdown_header_footer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
+
+from docx2everything.converters.markdown_converter import parse_body_to_markdown
+
+
+W_NS = "http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main"
+
+
+def xml_root(xml):
+    return ET.fromstring(xml)
+
+
+def test_header_root_is_converted_to_markdown():
+    root = xml_root(f"""
+    <w:hdr xmlns:w="{W_NS}">
+      <w:p><w:r><w:t>Header text</w:t></w:r></w:p>
+    </w:hdr>
+    """)
+
+    markdown = parse_body_to_markdown(root)
+
+    assert markdown == "Header text"
+
+
+def test_footer_root_is_converted_to_markdown():
+    root = xml_root(f"""
+    <w:ftr xmlns:w="{W_NS}">
+      <w:p><w:r><w:t>Footer text</w:t></w:r></w:p>
+    </w:ftr>
+    """)
+
+    markdown = parse_body_to_markdown(root)
+
+    assert markdown == "Footer text"
+
+
+def test_document_body_root_still_converts_to_markdown():
+    root = xml_root(f"""
+    <w:document xmlns:w="{W_NS}">
+      <w:body>
+        <w:p><w:r><w:t>Body text</w:t></w:r></w:p>
+      </w:body>
+    </w:document>
+    """)
+
+    markdown = parse_body_to_markdown(root)
+
+    assert markdown == "Body text"
diff --git a/tests/test_markdown_header_footer_relationships.py b/tests/test_markdown_header_footer_relationships.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08a9caa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_markdown_header_footer_relationships.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import io
+import zipfile
+
+from docx2everything.converters.markdown_converter import convert_to_markdown
+
+
+def make_docx(parts):
+    buffer = io.BytesIO()
+    with zipfile.ZipFile(buffer, "w") as zipf:
+        for name, content in parts.items():
+            zipf.writestr(name, content)
+    buffer.seek(0)
+    return zipfile.ZipFile(buffer)
+
+
+def test_header_hyperlink_uses_header_relationships():
+    docx = make_docx({
+        "word/document.xml": """
+            <w:document xmlns:w="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main">
+              <w:body/>
+            </w:document>
+        """,
+        "word/header1.xml": """
+            <w:hdr
+              xmlns:w="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main"
+              xmlns:r="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships">
+              <w:p>
+                <w:hyperlink r:id="rIdHeaderLink">
+                  <w:r><w:t>Header link</w:t></w:r>
+                </w:hyperlink>
+              </w:p>
+            </w:hdr>
+        """,
+        "word/_rels/header1.xml.rels": """
+            <Relationships xmlns="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/relationships">
+              <Relationship Id="rIdHeaderLink"
+                Type="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships/hyperlink"
+                Target="https://example.com/header"/>
+            </Relationships>
+        """,
+    })
+
+    markdown = convert_to_markdown(docx, docx.namelist())
+
+    assert markdown == "[Header link](https://example.com/header)"
+
+
+def test_footer_image_uses_footer_relationships():
+    docx = make_docx({
+        "word/document.xml": """
+            <w:document xmlns:w="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main">
+              <w:body/>
+            </w:document>
+        """,
+        "word/footer1.xml": """
+            <w:ftr
+              xmlns:w="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main"
+              xmlns:r="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships"
+              xmlns:a="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/main">
+              <w:p>
+                <w:r>
+                  <w:drawing>
+                    <a:blip r:embed="rIdFooterImage"/>
+                  </w:drawing>
+                </w:r>
+              </w:p>
+            </w:ftr>
+        """,
+        "word/_rels/footer1.xml.rels": """
+            <Relationships xmlns="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/relationships">
+              <Relationship Id="rIdFooterImage"
+                Type="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships/image"
+                Target="media/footer-image.png"/>
+            </Relationships>
+        """,
+    })
+
+    markdown = convert_to_markdown(docx, docx.namelist())
+
+    assert markdown == "![footer-image.png](media/footer-image.png)"