Pregnancy and Varicose Veins

Being pregnant means a lot of changes are coming to your new body as it adapts and grows a little baby inside of it. While a lot of the changes happen to your upper body, there are also changes that many women notice occurring lower in the legs. Because of the new pressure that is building and the increased level of blood that is being pumped through your body to help support your growing baby, sometimes women end up with varicose veins in their legs.

Varicose veins in pregnant women are very common and many women notice them appearing when they are into the final stages of their pregnancies. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to try and prevent varicose veins from forming inside of your legs.

How to Fix Varicose Veins

One of the things that is going to be the most beneficial for you is to make sure you are getting plenty of exercise. Exercise helps pump your blood throughout your legs. Varicose vein occur when blood becomes trapped inside of your veins and can not flow properly. Promoting blood flow to your legs can help the blood make its way to where it is going. However, you should not lift heavy weights or over exert yourself as it can make the damage greater and cause varicose veins to form.

Doctors suggest that you do not sit for too long of periods. When you are sitting it is more difficult for blood to make its way through your legs. If you are already at a higher risk for varicose veins, as pregnant women are, it is even easier for sitting to cause the veins to form. Doctors suggest that you walk around at least every two hours so the blood in your legs has the opportunity to flow. They do not expect you to go for a long walk every 2 hours while you are busy. Simple getting up and walking to the bathroom or to get a drink is sufficient.

While it seems contradictory, standing for long periods of time can also cause varicose veins to form in your legs. If you have a job, say as a teller at a store, you need to be sure that you are moving your legs around while you stand. Standing in one place allows the blood to pool similar to how it does when you are sitting for a long time. If you are not able to walk around, wiggle your legs often and make sure that you are getting as much movement in your legs as you can.

Treatments

Varicose veins are both unsightly and painful. It can be frustrating for a pregnant woman to suddenly have to deal with these veins in their legs. We would suggest that you live a very healthy lifestyle to help promote blood flow and keep yourself healthy. Varicose veins may form regardless. If they, a vein specialist can help remove the veins simply. The recover is not extensive and you will be able to return to your everyday life the same day. We would suggest you schedule a consultation once your baby is here and you can have the veins treated.