Approximately 10 to 25 percent of women will develop varicose veins while they are pregnant. However, these veins tend to be most pronounced after delivering the baby, especially if they appeared during pregnancy, the person has been pregnant multiple times, is overweight, has to stand for long periods of time or has a family history of this issue.
Changes During Pregnancy
There are a number of changes that occur while you are pregnant. For example, the increased pressure of your developing baby will affect your pelvic veins. Also, your body will increase in blood volume while pregnant and reduce how quickly blood can move from your legs to your pelvis. This also increases the pressure on the veins. Additionally, due to high progesterone levels, the vein walls are weakened and estrogen causes dilation in the veins. This results in the venous system stretching, especially the valves. Venous reflux often occurs when this happens, which is what causes the varicose veins.
When do Varicose Veins Go Away?
In some cases, varicose veins will improve after you give birth, but it is extremely rare that they go away completely. If your varicose veins don’t get better after you have your baby and they are causing you pain or making you uncomfortable, then you should know there are a number treatment options.
It is a good idea to discuss your varicose vein problem with your doctor during a postpartum visit. They will be able to recommend an effective varicose vein treatment in Sherman Oaks, CA. In most cases, the treatments will be minimally invasive, which will allow you to get back to your normal life quickly. The fact is, you don’t have to simply live with varicose veins. You can opt to have them treated and removed for good, which will reduce pain and discomfort and get rid of the unsightly appearance of the veins that are present.
