While not life-threatening, varicose can become painful and hard to manage, especially when dealing with the other uncomfortable side effects associated with pregnancy. They may develop at any stage of pregnancy and can become sore, itchy, and uncomfortable.
Varicose veins are swollen, bulging veins found on the legs although they can also be seen on the vaginal labia or vulva during pregnancy. Normal veins carry the blood up and out of the leg, back to the heart. Varicose veins are dysfunctional veins where one-way valves inside the vein are broken allowing the blood to fall backward down the vein toward the feet with gravity’s pull. This is very common during pregnancy due to changes in blood volume, hormonal changes, and compression on large deep veins in the abdomen by the uterus.
During pregnancy, maternal blood volume increases significantly. This increased volume places more demand on the venous system. Veins dilate and can lead to failure of the one-way valves in the leg veins.
The expanding uterus will put increased pressure on the inferior vena cava, the vein returning blood to the heart from the legs and abdomen. This results in increased pressure in the leg veins as they strive to return blood to the heart.
Hormonal changes in pregnancy, especially progesterone, increase the risk of developing varicose veins during pregnancy.
Even without a hereditary risk, pregnant women who spend a lot of time on their feet are more likely to develop varicose veins from the extra weight their bodies carry during the pregnancy and its pressure on the pelvic veins.
In general, varicose veins never improve, they only get worse. Pregnancy is the one situation where varicose veins typically improve after delivery. Typically, we don’t perform any sort of procedures until a few months after delivery. During pregnancy, symptoms are best managed by thigh-high or pantyhose compression stockings with at least 20-30mmHg of compression.
You may not need any treatment, since the varicose veins may go away on their own. However, if you do need treatment for varicose veins caused by underlying vein disease, Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute can help! We prefer to see patients about 3 months following delivery for a complete evaluation.
Varicose veins are swollen, bulging veins found on the legs although they can also be seen on the vaginal labia or vulva during pregnancy. Normal veins carry the blood up and out of the leg, back to the heart. Varicose veins are dysfunctional veins where one-way valves inside the vein are broken allowing the blood to fall backward down the vein toward the feet with gravity’s pull. This is very common during pregnancy due to changes in blood volume, hormonal changes, and compression on large deep veins in the abdomen by the uterus.
During pregnancy, maternal blood volume increases significantly. This increased volume places more demand on the venous system. Veins dilate and can lead to failure of the one-way valves in the leg veins.
The expanding uterus will put increased pressure on the inferior vena cava, the vein returning blood to the heart from the legs and abdomen. This results in increased pressure in the leg veins as they strive to return blood to the heart.
Hormonal changes in pregnancy, especially progesterone, increase the risk of developing varicose veins during pregnancy.
Even without a hereditary risk, pregnant women who spend a lot of time on their feet are more likely to develop varicose veins from the extra weight their bodies carry during the pregnancy and its pressure on the pelvic veins.
In general, varicose veins never improve, they only get worse. Pregnancy is the one situation where varicose veins typically improve after delivery. Typically, we don’t perform any sort of procedures until a few months after delivery. During pregnancy, symptoms are best managed by thigh-high or pantyhose compression stockings with at least 20-30mmHg of compression.
You may not need any treatment, since the varicose veins may go away on their own. However, if you do need treatment for varicose veins caused by underlying vein disease, Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute can help! We prefer to see patients about 3 months following delivery for a complete evaluation.
If you would like to learn more about Pregnancy & Varicose Veins, please call our office at 505-848-8346 today to schedule a consultation or fill out the form on this page and one of our trusted staff members will reach out to you promptly.
