Can Pregnancy Affect Your Varicose Veins?
There are so many different aspects of pregnancy that you might be concerned about, but one that might not immediately come to mind is the correlation between pregnancy and varicose veins. Can you get varicose veins while pregnant or does a pregnancy itself cause varicose veins? These are common questions to consider when pregnant.
Unfortunately, pregnancy can lead to varicose veins or an increase in the size of preexisting varicosities. Luckily, knowing the reasons why varicose veins occur during pregnancy can be a vital step towards making them less likely to occur.
Why does pregnancy affect varicose veins?
1. Hormonal effects
During pregnancy, a woman’s body goes through numerous changes including changes to her hormones. Progesterone is a healthy female sex hormone that causes the veins to relax. When relaxed, veins do not move blood as well. This leads to the blood building up, causing the veins to swell.
2. Weight gain
One of the major occurrences during pregnancy is weight gain. It is inevitable since the baby's growth contributes to extra weight, as well as the increase in body fluid that is essential for a healthy placenta, amniotic fluid and the baby’s circulation. How much weight depends on a variety of factors but regardless of those causes, weight gain is a significant contributor to varicose veins.
3. Pressure added by the fetus
The fetus puts pressure on the uterus, which in turn puts pressure on the veins in the abdomen. This pressure affects things below it including the veins in your legs, which is where most varicose veins occur. As it gets closer to the due date, this pressure increases, meaning any varicose veins you have will likely be most pronounced around the time you give birth.
4. Increased amount of blood:
While pregnant, the amount of blood in a woman’s body increases. This increase leads to more blood having to pass through the veins and with it, comes the potential for swelling in those veins walls and valves.
Luckily, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the risk of varicose veins, as well as limit preexisting varicosities to a manageable size while pregnant.
What can you do to combat varicose veins during a pregnancy?
1. Don’t stand or sit for long periods:
It may be difficult to frequently move around while pregnant, but normal movement can be something you incorporate to lower the risk of getting varicose veins as well as potentially decrease the size of existing varicose veins. Blood flow is key to vein health and staying in one position for too long can restrict it significantly.
2. Regular physical activity:
Exercise is a great way to keep the blood flowing and minimize varicose veins. If your blood is moving, it is less likely to pool in your veins and cause serious issues such as venous insufficiency.
3. Elevation:
If you’ve ever been to physical therapy you may have heard them talk about RICE, but they weren’t talking about the white grain that goes great with orange chicken. It’s an acronym meaning Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. The latter is incredibly important to the movement of blood through the body and, as we’ve discussed, proper blood flow is vital to reducing varicose veins.
4. Wear maternity or support hose:
While not the most fashionable part of your attire, wearing these can significantly reduce your risk of varicose veins. They help move the blood away from the vessels in the vein so it can travel to the parts of the body where it’s meant to go. Be sure to take them off before going to bed, however.
5. Try not to cross your legs:
When sitting, it may be a subconscious act to cross your legs, but this could increase the likelihood of varicose veins. The blood needs places to go, and when your legs are crossed, it cuts off that natural pathway leading to an increase in swelling.
6. Sleep on your left side:
Did you know that we have a major vein running along the right side of our body? It’s true, and while you may not get a ton of good rest while pregnant, there are practices that can be incorporated to fight varicose veins while you dream. If you are prone to sleeping on your right side, you could be adding extra pressure to the veins in your body. This pressure can exacerbate issues such as varicose veins. A helpful trick you can implement is combining this method with elevation to really increase the blood flow while sleeping. Think of it as a one-two punch for fighting off those pesky varicose veins while also catching up on some much needed rest.
7. Consume a vein friendly diet:
While the food you eat cannot cure you of varicose veins, it certainly can contribute to them. However, there are also plenty of foods that help when it comes to varicose veins including fiber, low-sodium foods, fruits and vegetables as well as prenatal vitamins high in Vitamins A and C. These will also help with maintaining a healthy weight which is especially important during pregnancy.
Pregnancy is an incredible – and incredibly difficult – journey. Hopefully, you now feel better prepared to handle any varicosities that may arise during a pregnancy. While you are unlikely to receive vein treatment while pregnant, you should still alert your trusted medical professional to any vein issues that occur. If you wish to consult a vein specialist before, during, or after your pregnancy, schedule an appointment at Elmore Medical.
Elmore Medical Vein & Laser Treatment Center is the premier vein specialty medical practice in the Central Valley. Dr. Mario H. Gonzalez and his staff offer years of experience and medical expertise that you won’t find anywhere else. Contact us to set up a consultation appointment.