| Pregnancy as a Cause of Varicose Veins |
|
Varicose veins affect approximately 40 million people in North America, 50% of whom are women. Pregnancy ranks highly as one of the causes of varicose veins. When varicose veins go untreated, they can lead to serious complications like skin ulcers, phlebitis (vein swells) or blood clots. Varicose veins prop up primarily duet to pressure applied on vein walls a phenomenon that disrupts normal blood flow slowing it. Blood will thus thicken and twist the skin because it is no longer clearing fast from the veins. This will lead to the veins popping out from under your skin – a varicose vain. Pregnancy is a major culprit in this disruption of normal body flow.
Pregnancy and Hormonal Changes
During pregnancy hormonal changes will make your varicose veins worse. There’s also increased blood flow in your veins and if anything blocks this, varicose veins start forming and quickly, too. Increased pressure in your abdomen during pregnancy as well as weight gained all predisposes you to worse varicose veins. However, varicose veins appearing due to pregnancy will often fade in three months immediately a woman gets the baby but this doesn’t mean that the varicose veins end there; they may even become worse when you next become pregnant.
Hormonal changes lead to a relaxation of muscular walls of the blood vessels. Your veins then find it difficult to facilitate blood circulation through them especially from lower limbs back to the heart. Progesterone is a hormone produced in large quantities during pregnancy and also leads to a relaxation of blood vessels. Increase in your weight during pregnancy exerts increased stress on your pelvic veins, and woe unto you if you are also constipating for this will interfere with your pelvic circulation. Blood thus may end up pooling in your lower parts of the body resulting in painful, bulging varicose veins on your rectum, vulva or legs. This reveals a fact about varicose veins – they can occur anywhere in your body.
When you fall pregnant many changes occur to your skin such as a new sudden glow on your face or pink and reddish-looking streaks on your stomach. Additionally, hormones may bring about “mask of pregnancy” also called melasma and chlosma. These are the dark spots that appear on your face especially on the forehead and cheeks as a result of increase in body pigmentation. You may even start noticing that areas that are dark become darker like nipples, areolas and labia. Close to half the women population experience melasma and chlosma when they’re pregnant. Pregnancy glow to your skin when pregnant is caused by the increased blood production and flow (for the baby and the mother). Your oil glands are overworked during pregnancy and this also contributes to the shiny face.
Preventing Varicose Formation During Pregnancy
What do you do when you become pregnant to prevent varicose veins from forming on yoru body? Increase your intake of Vitamin C and avoid crossing your legs as far as possible to help minimize varicose veins. Avoiding standing for prolonged periods and walk as much as possible to help blood return to your heart. Place your legs up on a stool or table when sitting and avoid sitting for long. Wear support stockings and try to cut your excessive weight. Use lotions containing vitamin E and alphahydroxy acids help prevent stretch marks. Before you leave your bed in the morning, wear special support tights to prevent excess blood flow gathering and getting clogged in your legs. You could have your pair of knickers and tights near the bed so you can easily put them on before you get out of the bed. Try lying on your left side with your feet on a pillow while wedging a pillow behind your back so you’re tilted to the left side. Exercise daily by having a brisk walk; doesn’t have to be long and out of your compound. |
|
