During pregnancy, many changes occur in the body, and there are many things one must deal with. A pregnancy involves various changes, and probably varicose veins are not what one wants to think about during pregnancy. However, varicose veins and pregnancy are often closely linked; this article will delve more into how it works.
Body Changes During Pregnancy
When one first discovers that they are pregnant, many thoughts go through the head, and over the next nine months, the body undergoes enormous change. These changes include significant weight gain, which is quite normal. It is common to gain 15 to 30 kg in weight. This sudden increase in weight is a form of temporary obesity, and obesity has a negative effect on blood circulation.
Venous Valves and Varicose Veins
In our body, we have veins in which blood is pumped to the heart for oxygenation. In the legs, the blood must be pumped against gravity, and therefore there are valves in the veins to prevent the blood from flowing back down.
During pregnancy, when the weight has significantly increased, blood circulation worsens because it is a larger body that the blood must be pumped around. What can happen then is that the venous valves are not sufficient to prevent the blood from flowing back down in the legs. This can cause leaking blood to accumulate in pools under the venous valves, and it is this that can cause varicose veins.
A varicose vein is a thick and swollen vein that bulges out and is clearly visible through the skin. Due to poor blood circulation and worn venous valves, there is an increased risk of varicose veins occurring during pregnancy.
Weight Gain and More Blood During Pregnancy
In connection with a pregnancy, body weight increases, but this is far from the only change that happens to the body. Body weight increases due to various factors, including the weight of the fetus and the placenta, but also due to the extra blood supply that a woman gets during pregnancy. The amount of blood increases by 40 to 50 percent, and this extra blood increases the pressure in the blood vessels.
The hormone balance also changes during pregnancy, and this leads to decreased elasticity in the venous walls.
Why Varicose Veins Occur in Connection with Pregnancy
As we have described, many changes occur during pregnancy, and these changes affect the occurrence of varicose veins during pregnancy. It is especially the deficiencies in the venous valves that affect the occurrence of varicose veins during pregnancy. Many women who have had varicose veins in connection with pregnancy discover that the varicose veins disappear after the end of the pregnancy.
Varicose Veins During Pregnancy
Varicose veins are the last thing a pregnant woman wants to experience. Varicose veins during pregnancy can cause serious problems and be a very significant limitation in an already limited daily life for the pregnant woman. Many pregnant women who have varicose veins get them on the legs, especially the lower leg, which can cause the following problems:
- Mild pain
- Heavy and tired legs
- Anxiety and creeping feeling in the legs
- Swollen feet and hands
- Fluid accumulation in the legs, known as edema
Varicose veins that have arisen in connection with a pregnancy can also occur in other places, but the legs are most common. As the uterus grows, there is also extra pressure on the woman's pelvis and in the large veins that are in the pelvis, which can cause varicose veins on the thighs, in the pelvic area, and on the labia, especially in connection with the actual birth.
Do Varicose Veins Disappear After the End of Pregnancy?
Many pregnant women who have had varicose veins in connection with pregnancy find that the varicose veins disappear after the pregnancy when body weight has decreased and good blood circulation is restored. However, the varicose veins do not disappear spontaneously in all women, which means that treatment may be required to remove them. Varicose veins that have arisen in connection with a pregnancy can only be treated after the pregnancy and breastfeeding have ended.
Can Varicose Veins That Occur During Pregnancy Be Treated?
If you want to remove varicose veins, there are various treatment methods to choose from. The first step to removing varicose veins is a preliminary examination where the legs are examined with ultrasound to locate varicose veins and assess blood circulation. The examination is painless and carried out by a specialist doctor in thirty minutes. After the preliminary examination, an assessment is made of which treatment method is best for removing the varicose veins that have arisen in connection with the pregnancy.
There are various methods for treating varicose veins during pregnancy, and the chosen treatment method depends on the severity of the varicose veins. Getting varicose veins during pregnancy is not dangerous, and varicose veins are generally not dangerous. If severe varicose veins are not treated, they can develop, and the condition can worsen over time. Then, the varicose veins can cause more severe problems such as pigmentation, eczema, and venous leg ulcers. Therefore, it is good to examine varicose veins before they become a nuisance in everyday life.
Degrees of Varicose Veins
Varicose veins that have come during pregnancy can be very different and be larger or smaller. Some pregnant women get spider veins, which is a cosmetic nuisance, while other women get large and thick varicose veins on the legs, which can cause pain and be a physical nuisance.
Usually, varicose veins are classified based on a system called CEAP, which is used to identify how severe the varicose veins are and which treatment method should be used.
How Are Varicose Veins Treated During Pregnancy?
If varicose veins have occurred on the legs during pregnancy and the woman wants to remove them after the end of the pregnancy and after breastfeeding, various treatment methods are available. At UK Vein Care, only the latest and most gentle treatment methods are used, and all varicose vein treatments are performed by leading specialists in Northern Europe.
The most common treatment methods for removing varicose veins that have occurred during pregnancy are:
Foam Treatment In a foam treatment, a medication is injected into the diseased vein; the medication is a kind of glue that seals the vein, which causes the vein to shrink, and the blood then flows in other ways, and the varicose vein disappears.
Laser Treatment A laser treatment to remove varicose veins that occurred during pregnancy involves inserting a catheter with a laser into the diseased vein and then slowly pulling it out. The heat from the laser causes the vein to close, the blood then flows in other ways, and the varicose veins disappear.
Phlebectomy, Hook Needle Technique Varicose veins that have come during pregnancy can become so large on the legs that they cosmetically become a hindrance in everyday life, for example, if one hesitates to go out bare-legged. To remove the varicose veins in a way that makes the legs look nice again, a treatment method called phlebectomy is used. This method involves placing a small incision in the skin where the varicose veins are located, then using a small hook to pull out the diseased vein. When this is done, the skin on the leg will once again be smooth and fine.
Can Varicose Veins Be Prevented During Pregnancy?
In a person who is pregnant, the venous valves will be affected, and in some people, the impact will be so significant that spider veins or varicose veins will occur. However, certain measures can be taken to reduce the risk of varicose veins occurring during pregnancy. Some of these measures are:
Avoid standing or sitting still for long periods. Do not sit with crossed legs. Keep legs elevated, higher than the heart, if possible. Wear compression stockings. Exercise and be physically active. All these measures improve blood circulation in the legs, which in turn reduces the risk of varicose veins occurring during pregnancy.
Summary - Varicose Veins and Pregnancy
During pregnancy, many women get varicose veins. Varicose veins arise when blood circulation worsens due to increased weight, changed hormone balance, and increased blood flow. These changes cause pressure on the veins, and the function of the venous valves deteriorates. When this happens, blood accumulates in pools that become varicose veins.
Some women who have had varicose veins during pregnancy discover that the varicose veins disappear spontaneously after the pregnancy ends. However, this does not happen for all women, and then treatment may be needed to remove the varicose veins.
There are a number of gentle and effective treatment methods for varicose veins that can be offered to women after the end of pregnancy and breastfeeding. For those who actively want to prevent and minimize the risk of getting varicose veins during pregnancy, there are a number of measures that can be taken. All these measures are aimed at improving blood circulation.
