Varicose Veins In Pregnancy

Varicose veins are a common, usually harmless, part of pregnancy for some women. They happen when the enlarged uterus applies pressure to the large veins that carry blood back to the heart from your feet and legs.

During pregnancy, women have more blood circulating around their bodies and hormones produced during pregnancy also relax the blood vessel walls causing them to stretch and sag.

These varicose veins can become itchy, uncomfortable, and sometimes painful. They're usually found in the legs, genital area, and rectum. Rectal varicose veins are also known as haemorrhoids.

If your varicose veins haven't gone away six months after you have your baby, and are still causing symptoms, you could consider treatment options to get rid of these veins. These include:

ablation using intense radiofrequency, or lasers

ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy

Surgical treatment used to be the only way to treat varicose veins. In the last few years minimally invasive treatments have largely replaced surgery. These can be performed under local anaesthetic followed by a swift return to normal activity. The British Vein Institute now offers modern methods of treatment to all patients.