Varicose Veins Prevention in Pregnant Women

The pregnant women generally suffer from several discomforts during pregnancy period including back pain, gaining excessive weight, swollen extremities, sleeplessness, indigestion problems, etc. One of the other major problems that affect the pregnant women is the varicose veins. It is generally advisable to take the guidance of the doctor in case of varicose veins to avoid or minimize the pain so as to enjoy the pregnancy. In this articleCauses of Varicose Veins ProblemCauses of Varicose Veins during PregnancySteps to Deal with Varicose Veins during PregnancyVaricose Veins after DeliveryTreatment for Varicose Veins after the DeliveryCauses of Varicose Veins ProblemArteries carry pure or oxygenated blood from the heart to various parts of the body. At the same time the veins carry impure blood to the heart from the extremities. The veins act against gravity as they tend to supply blood from the extremities to the heart. Due to this natural pressure on the veins and the excessive weight gain, some women do have the varicose veins problem even before pregnancy. The problem is generally due to heredity. For such women, the varicose veins problem increases during pregnancy.Causes of Varicose Veins during PregnancyWomen with no varicose veins problem before pregnancy may get this discomfort during pregnancy. This is mainly due to the pressure of the growing uterus on the inferior vena cava which is on the right hand side of the body. The blood flow increases during pregnancy. The increased flow of blood throughout the body due to the hormonal changes during pregnancy in turn increases the pressure on the veins causing varicose veins. The varicose veins cause swelling and pain around the veins in the legs.Steps to Deal with Varicose Veins during PregnancyGaining excessive weight during pregnancy is one of the main reasons for developing varicose veins during pregnancy. So, it is good to walk for 10 minutes to half-an-hour depending on the advice of the doctor. There are special antenatal exercises taught in the antenatal exercises classes. These antenatal exercises done under the supervision of certified trainer also help in minimising the discomfort caused due to varicose veins.The pregnant women who are required to sit or stand for a longer duration of time for their professional or day-to-day needs also tend to develop varicose veins. This can be reduced by changing the postures at regular intervals of time, keeping the legs on the higher surfaces often to reduce the swelling on the legs, and reducing the time of sitting or standing. The varicose veins problem can also be reduced by keeping the legs on the pillows while sleeping after consulting a doctor. Doctors advise the pregnant women to sleep on the left side in order to get relief from the discomfort caused due to varicose veins.Varicose Veins after DeliveryMany pregnant women may be worried during pregnancy whether the varicose veins problem would continue even after the delivery. For women who had the problem earlier even before pregnancy may continue to have this discomfort. Otherwise, the varicose veins problem disappears or improves after the delivery giving relief to the mother, thereby aiding the mother in concentrating on the new born baby.Treatment for Varicose Veins after the DeliveryGenerally, when the varicose veins is not a hereditary problem or when the varicose veins are not there before pregnancy, the varicose veins tend to vanish after the delivery of the child. When the problem sustains for the hereditary cases, it is generally advisable to consult the doctor and obtain proper treatment in the first month after delivering the baby, so that the mother can concentrate on the new born child.Women can consult their doctor and take appropriate steps to get rid of the varicose veins totally after delivery so as to enjoy their motherhood thoroughly.