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Bulging veins and other nasties

Varicose veins and haemorrhoids are a poorly publicised fact of life for many women, particularly, during pregnancy. Pat Thomas offers some soothing remedies

When you think of varicose veins and haemorrhoids – if you ever think of them at all – you probably think of elderly women in droopy support tights. So when you’re pregnant, it may come as a shock to realise that you’re one of a significant number of women who develop varicosities. They run in families, and pregnant women are particularly prone, if they’re carrying twins or have to stand or sit for long periods of time, for instance at work.

How they happen

The body’s veins are responsible for conducting blood back to the heart, and veins in the legs work against gravity to do their job. To assist this process, leg veins have valves that close between heartbeats to prevent the blood flowing backwards. A varicose vein occurs when a valve weakens, putting more pressure on other valves, and causing blood to stagnate. Varicosities, whether on the leg, in your bottom or vulva, appear as soft, swollen, dark blue bulges, and are often itchy and painful. Haemorrhoids, or piles, are varicose veins of the rectum.

Genes, obesity, lack of exercise, a low-fibre diet, vitamin deficiency, liver malfunction, pregnancy, or constipation, all cause these nasties.

But why during pregnancy?

Increased blood volume puts your veins under pressure. In addition, hormonal changes relax the muscular walls of the blood vessels. This makes it even more difficult for your veins to move blood from the lower body, back to the heart. The increasing weight of your uterus will put more stress on the pelvic veins, and if you’re constipated, this can also interfere with your pelvic circulation. As a result, blood may pool in your lower body, and you may get the bulging, painful varicose veins on the legs, vulva or rectum.

Treatment for varicose veins involves surgery to remove the protruding veins – but this is usually reserved for severe, chronic varicosities.

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