Pregnant and developed Varicose Veins? Here is what to do.
Varicose veins in the upper thigh and vulva area occur during #pregnancy due to the increase in blood volume to the #pelvic region as well as the associated decrease in how quickly the blood flows from the lower body and pelvis back to the heart. As a result, blood ‘pools’ in the veins of the legs and in the vulvar region — causing pregnancy-related varicosities. The varicose veins can occur only in the vulvar region or along with varicose veins of the legs.
To start with, we recommend using our #classification system to estimate the severity of your varicose veins during pregnancy. The varicose veins can be mild, moderate and severe. The symptoms can range from asymptomatic to disabling; the signs can range from hardly seen to very prominent and possibly complicated varicose veins (thrombosis in the veins, #ulcers, extensive veins all over the abdomen or all the way down on both legs); and the duplex scan can range from small trivial incompetent varicose to gross incompetence in the trunk vein or deep vein incompetency or thrombosis.
Here are some frequently asked questions you might have in your mind and here are the scientific answers for them:
👉🏼 What’s the impact of pregnancy-related veins on my planned natural #delivery?
A: Upper thigh, pelvic and vulvar varicosities are unlikely to affect the mode of delivery. These veins tend to have a low blood flow. As a result, even if #bleeding occurred, it could easily be controlled. As the baby head descends, the veins empty as the pressure from the head distends the vulva. Episiotomy is likely to be contraindicated and discussion with Obs and Gyne doctors is advisable.
👉🏼How can I manage severe varicose symptoms?
A: Follow this advices:
* Use a maternity support tights. We advise for using supporting tights that are specifically designed for vulvar and upper thigh varicosities. Some designs also provide support for the lower abdomen and lower back. The tights can be purchased also online (for example, daylong.co.uk) and can be ordered readily. #Compression supporting #tights have been shown in some trials to decrease the risk of progression of varicose veins in pregnant women and decrease the symptoms from varicose veins (#NICE 2013).
* Make sure that there are no unsupported areas when wearing the tights and that the tights are touching and supporting all surfaces.
* Some pregnant ladies advise to put the tights on before getting out of bed, and leave it there until back in bed at night, so that the blood does not have a chance to pool in the diseased veins and stretch them further.
* Pay special attention to #position. we advise to avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time. Heavy type of work without enough rest is likely to cause deterioration of the pregnancy-related varicose veins and progression from medium-severity stage into high-severity one. Using a reminder tool (such as a smart watch) can be very helpful, and we would advise strongly for that. If your work is desk-bound during the day, you need to get up every half an hour or so and move around a bit.
* Keep active – We advise you to keep doing gentle antenatal exercises, with regular walking and swimming. #KeepActive
* Foot #exercises are very helpful to vein circulation. For example, bending and stretching the feet up and down around 30 time, and rotating the feet clockwise eight times, then anticlockwise eight times.
* For severely symptomatic varicose veins – that do not respond to the above, we would advise you to:
– Take more regular #breaks from any highly demanding job during the pregnancy period.
– Use #swimming pool more often. The #hydrostatic force within the swimming pool helps significantly in reducing the pressure in the veins. Water immersion was tested and compared to leg elevation only in few trials. Water immersion for 20 minutes in a swimming pool was found to reduce leg volume signifcantly.
– Consider foot and leg #massage. Although there is no strong evidence for or against massaging therapy in reducing the leg swelling, many pregnant women report good and relaxing effect following the massage therapy.
– we would also advise in the severe symptomatic cases to consider a natural cream that includes horse chestnut, such as “Organic #Royal Jelly Leg and Vein Cream” (Found over the counter such as in Holland&Barrett) or Viridian Horse Chestnut (Oxerutins) balm. This cream has natural components including #Aesculus hippocastanum extract, which has been shown in a systematic review of 17 studies to improve leg pain, swelling and itching when taken for short time for patients with symptomatic varicose veins compared to placebo. The safety of this in pregnancy, however, has not been fully investigated yet (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Oct 19;(10)).
– Certain #Yoga positions have also been proven, when done properly and appropriately to the pregnancy stage, to help in reducing symptoms of varicose veins. Positions such as rolling and rocking, leg lock, standing forward bend, shoulder stand, and fish pose are all helpful if safe for the stage of pregnancy you are in.
👉🏼 If the varicose veins persist after #delivery and are symptomatic, what and when a procedure should be considered?
There is a general consensus that this should be at least 3-6 months due to normalisation of the body after giving birth and the risk of introducing drugs during #breastfeeding (NICE2013). There is also a general consensus that NO operation should be offered to uncomplicated varicose veins during pregnancy.
👉🏼 As far as the travel is concerned, there are no more specific advices other than the above. #Travel advice should generally follow that relates to pregnancy more than anything else.
We wish you a safe and happy pregnancy. Please get in contact at admin@ajlyon.co.uk if you need further help or advice.
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Our 2018 OXFORD reference #Oxford_current_Surgical_guidelines includes up-to-date guidance and advice on this matter and more, presented in concise simple language. Why not have a look inside @ https://tinyurl.com/y7msosbr