How to Prevent Varicose Veins During Pregnancy

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Varicose veins, otherwise known as spider veins, bust veins or venous starts, are unsightly blemishes that most women are conscious of whenever they have to wear shorts, skirts or bikinis. There are numerous causes of varicose veins in women. However, none of these causes are as common as the spider veins brought about by pregnancy. In normal veins, valves keep the blood from refluxing back into the veins instead of heading towards the heart. However, in the case of spider veins, the valves are dysfunctional. This leads the blood to stagnate in the vein, which results into enlargement of the veins. In pregnant women, hormones that are produced in the body only during pregnancy tend to disintegrate the strength of the vein walls. The blood volume is also increased during pregnancy. This leads to distended veins, which also results to dysfunctional valves. When the valves are not fully functioning, it may cause the blood to stagnate and pool in the veins. The enlarged uterus may also compress the veins, leading to increasing vein pressure and dilated veins.

Although spider veins may improve or even disappear by itself without any help after pregnancy, there are cases when prevention is better than cure or worse, waiting for it to disappear by itself. If you’re concerned about developing varicose veins during pregnancy, here are some effective tips that could help:

1. Don’t forego exercise. If you have been exercising even before your pregnancy, don’t stop now. You can still continue exercising by cycling, walking, climbing stairs or swimming. All of these motions will keep your calf muscles in mobility, which helps promote circulation in the calf muscle pump. This will also help decrease the pressure and the blood pooling in the veins. If you haven’t been a big fan of exercise, it’s the best time to start.

2. Get a support compression stockings as soon as possible. Compression stockings are a good source of external graduated counter-pressure that assists the venous blood flow towards the heart. They provide good support in a way that they prevent the blood from pooling in the veins and the venous pressure from increasing. These support compression hoses are also beneficial in preventing deep vein blood clots, which may lead to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a life-threatening disease common in pregnancy. It is recommended that you wear these hoses as often as possible, most especially during car or plane rides.

3. Elevation and mobility are the keys. Sitting down? Keep your legs elevated higher than heart level. It is also important that you move your legs often even while you’re seated. You can flex your ankles ten times every ten minutes when you have been sitting or standing for a long period of time. Nevertheless, it is best to avoid sitting for long hours.

4. Keep heat at bay. If you’re a big fan of hot baths or hot tubs, keep them out of your way during your pregnancy. In fact, avoid any excessive exposure to heat altogether. Heat typically causes an augmentation in distended veins, which can only result to an increased blood pooling.

Although varicose veins are most commonly a cosmetic problem, there are cases when it can be medically hazardous. If a vein ruptures and begins bleeding, elevate your legs and compress the area to hinder the bleeding. Call a doctor or emergency medical team as soon possible.

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post that does NOT necessarily represent the opinions of our editorial team.

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