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During pregnancy your body changes, this is inevitable. Because of these changes your body can become more susceptible to varicose veins due to the increase pressure on your veins. Here at The Varicose Vein Clinic in Brisbane we are happy to consult with pregnant women who are concerned about varicose veins. While varicose veins commonly form in the legs, they can show up in a number of different areas during pregnancy. If you are newly pregnant and haven’t yet developed any varicose veins but are concerned about their occurrence we recommend visiting our Brisbane practice for a consultation.
During pregnancy the blood volume in your body increases as the pressure from the growing uterus increases. This can place an added strain on the body’s big vein, the inferior vena cava, which puts pressure on the veins in the legs. Returning blood to the heart from the legs is already difficult because of gravity, but as the womb (uterus) begins to grow and expand it puts pressure on veins in your pelvic area, which can sometimes cause them to become varicose.
During pregnancy your body’s hormone levels will change, this increased hormone levels during pregnancy also cause the muscular walls of the blood vessels to relax, which an increase your risk of developing varicose veins. The increase in progesterone can dilate the veins and cause the blood to pool, and this can cause dilated, sore, swollen, uncomfortable veins.
Supporting a baby puts strain on your entire body, not only can it stress your muscles out, but it can also stress your veins out. As the weight of the baby increases and the uterus enlarges this puts pressure on the abdominal veins which can often prevent the blood from properly flowing. This places pressure on all of the veins in the body.
For many women, the valve function in your veins will return to normal and the varicose veins should fade away after the birth of your child. However, for some, the valve function does not return to normal and the varicose veins remain. Typically the veins that are still present six months after you have your baby will not go away. Whilst your veins can’t be treated when you are pregnant or breastfeeding- we can successfully treat your veins in between pregnancies and can consult with you about treatment options beforehand.
Here at The Varicose Vein Clinic we recommend wearing knee high compression stockings whilst pregnant which can provide symptomatic relief. These can provide stability for the veins and alleviate some of the discomfort.
For those women suffering from varicose veins during pregnancy we recommend visiting our Brisbane clinic for a consultation so that we can discuss potential treatment options for you. We pride ourselves on providing a comfortable and trusting environment to ensure our pregnant patients are at ease when visiting.
Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practiotioner.
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