Varicose Veins While Pregnant

Varicose veins are blood vessels that look like twisted, bulging ropes under your skin. They’re common during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester.

Veins are part of your circulatory system. They carry blood back to your heart. Hormones and other body changes in pregnancy lead to your veins becoming weaker. When that happens, blood can collect in one spot, causing the vein to swell and stick out from your skin.

Varicose veins often appear on your legs, ankles or vulva (the outside genital area). Hemorrhoids are another type of varicose vein that forms in or around your rectum.

Spider veins can occur along with varicose veins. They’re thin, red or blue lines you can see through your skin. Unlike varicose veins, they don’t bulge or feel lumpy.

Symptoms of varicose veins in pregnancy

You may not experience any symptoms. If you do, you may find that they’re worse when you sit or stand for a long time.

Symptoms include:

• Heavy, tired or sore feeling in your legs
• Itching around the varicose veins
• Leg cramps
• Pain, aching, throbbing or tenderness in your legs
• Swelling in your legs and ankles

Pregnancy varicose veins causes

During pregnancy, your body goes through changes that can lead to varicose veins:

• Hormones like progesterone relax the walls of your blood vessels
• Your blood volume increases
• The fetus puts extra pressure on the veins in your pelvis and legs

All of these forces make it more difficult for blood to travel against gravity from your legs to your heart. This can cause veins in your legs to swell and twist.

Risk factors

Some factors may increase your risk of developing varicose veins during pregnancy. These include:

• What you eat: Too much sodium or not enough fiber and water can make you retain water and increase your risk of varicose veins and hemorrhoids.
• Genetics: You may be more likely to develop varicose veins during pregnancy if your biological mother or grandmother had them in pregnancy.
• Weight: Varicose veins are more common if you have overweight or obesity.

Complications of pregnancy varicose veins

Varicose veins can be very uncomfortable, but they’re typically not dangerous. Sometimes, they can lead to superficial thrombophlebitis, a blood clot that forms on the surface of a varicose vein.

Varicose veins can increase your risk of deep vein thrombosis. This can lead to serious complications, including a pulmonary embolism.

How doctors diagnose varicose veins during pregnancy

Your healthcare provider will examine your legs, genitals and rectal area, depending on where the varicose veins are. They’ll ask you about any pain, aching or swelling you have and when these symptoms occur.

If your symptoms are severe, your provider may recommend a Doppler ultrasound to measure how blood flows through your veins.

How are they treated?

Since varicose veins are usually harmless and go away on their own, healthcare providers usually don’t treat them.

Still, you can take steps that can help relieve your symptoms or prevent varicose veins from getting worse:

• Change your position to avoid long periods of sitting or standing.
• Don’t sit with your legs crossed (this is bad for your circulation).
• Get regular physical activity.
• Elevate your feet when you sit down.
• Sleep on your left side (this keeps pressure off the large vein that carries blood from your legs to your heart).
• Wear supportive pantyhose, tights or compression socks.
• Limit sodium (too much sodium can lead to swelling).

If your varicose veins don’t go away on their own after childbirth, you can talk to your provider about treatment options. These can include sclerotherapy, laser therapy and surgery.

Is walking good for varicose veins?

Yes, walking can help with blood flow. You don’t need to walk miles every day — short walks are fine. If you’ve been on your feet for a while, put your feet up afterward to help the blood flow back toward your heart.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Most of the time, varicose veins aren’t serious. Signs that you should call your provider include:

• Bleeding from the vein
• Pain, swelling and redness in your leg, which could be signs of a blood clot
• Open sore on the skin near the varicose vein

Do varicose veins go away after pregnancy?

Yes, they’re usually temporary and shrink after your baby is born. If you have multiple children, varicose veins may get worse with each pregnancy or be less likely to go away.