Does pregnancy cause varicose veins and spider veins
Like 0 Dislike 0 Published on 17 Apr 2014
http://www.yourhealthyveins.com
Women have some of the same risk factors for varicose veins as men - age, heredity, the effects of gravity - plus more! We have the added risk of our female hormones and the ability to have children. Some hormones, such as progesterone, can have a weakening effect on our vein walls. You may notice the effects of this if you have increased aching, pain, heaviness or throbbing in your legs before or in the first few days of your menstrual cycle.
Many women report starting to see spider veins develop in their teens - or after starting birth control pills - or during a pregnancy - each of these situations are associated with significant changes or fluctuation in our female hormones.
If you think that your pregnancy may have caused your bulging varicose veins - you may very well be right. Not only do you have changes in hormones that have a weakening effect on the vein walls during pregnancy, but you also have a significant change in blood volume that is necessary to support your growing baby. With significant stress from the increased blood volume - and weakened vein walls- the vein walls start to stretch, bulging veins may occur and blood gets stuck in the veins.
When this happens, the veins can be painful. Your legs may get more tired and fatigued. Leg cramps, restlessness and swelling of your legs and ankles can occur. With each consecutive pregnancy, the chances that some of the veins will become varicose, increase.
You can help decrease your risk of vein problems during pregnancy by wearing compression stockings that are made specifically for pregnancy. Elevation of your legs also may help with discomfort during pregnancy - as can simple exercises such as calf raises and walking. All of these things will help maintain the normal blood flow within the veins even during your pregnancy.
It is possible that bulging veins that occur only with pregnancy will improve after delivery. However, if your symptoms, such as aching, pain, swelling, heaviness, leg cramps and restlessness of your legs continue or if the bulging veins are still there 3 months after delivery, chances are they are not going to go away on their own, just because the stressors of the pregnancy are over. And, they are likely going to worsen over time or with future pregnancies.
The good news is that treatment for varicose veins, whatever their cause, is now much less invasive. There is no need for hospitalization or general anesthesia. Most of the treatment options now available can be done as an outpatient and you should be able to return to your normal activities - including caring for your new addition - quickly after treatment.
If you have any questions about varicose vein disease or would like to schedule an initial consultation, please call the Center for Advanced Vein Care at (440)710-1140. We would be happy to help you with your vein concerns both during and after your pregnancy.
Center for Advanced Vein Care
7200 Mentor Avenue
Mentor, OH 44060
The Center for Advanced Vein care specializes in the care and treatment of vein disease using minimally invasive procedures that produce great results in minimum time. Procedures are normally outpatient and you can return to your normal routines in as little as 24 hours.
http://youtu.be/4lS6yTBzO0E
varicose veins caused by pregnancy