Varicose veins in pregnancy

Varicose veins — swollen, bluish or bulging veins, usually in the legs — are common in pregnancy, and while they can ache or feel heavy, they’re generally harmless. They happen because pregnancy makes life harder for the veins in your legs: your blood volume increases, your growing uterus presses on the large vein that carries blood back up from your legs, and pregnancy hormones relax and widen your vein walls. Together, that means blood pools more easily, and the veins swell. Some people also get them in the vulva (vulval varicosities) or as haemorrhoids (which are varicose veins around the bottom).

There’s a hereditary element too — if your mother or close relatives had them, you’re more likely to — so if they appear, it’s not something you’ve done wrong. They often become more noticeable as pregnancy progresses and after long periods of standing.

You can’t always prevent them, but plenty helps ease the aching and may keep them in check. The key is to keep your blood moving and take pressure off your legs:

• Move regularly and avoid standing or sitting still for long stretches; when you sit, avoid crossing your legs.
• Put your feet up whenever you can — elevating your legs above hip level helps blood drain back.
• Compression stockings (graduated maternity ones) genuinely help with the aching and heaviness; your pharmacist or midwife can advise on these.
• Gentle exercise like walking or swimming keeps your circulation going, and swimming is especially lovely as the water takes the weight off.
• Sleep on your side, which improves blood flow.

The reassuring news is that varicose veins usually improve after your baby is born, as the pressure and hormones settle — often within a few months — though they don’t always disappear completely.

While varicose veins themselves are not dangerous, there’s one important thing to watch for. Contact your GP or maternity unit promptly if a vein (or your calf) becomes painful, hard, hot, red, or swollen, or if one leg is noticeably more swollen or painful than the other. Pregnancy raises the risk of blood clots (deep vein thrombosis), and while it’s uncommon, those signs need a prompt check rather than being dismissed as “just” varicose veins.

If they appear on your vulva (which surprises a lot of people, but is common), the same principles apply — rest, elevation and support can all help, and there are specialised support garments; do ask your midwife, as it’s more common than it’s talked about. Wherever they show up, try not to feel self-conscious about them: they’re an extremely common, usually temporary consequence of the extra demands pregnancy puts on your circulation, and they say nothing about you other than that your body is working hard.

For the everyday aching, heavy-legged variety, though, be reassured they’re a normal and usually temporary part of pregnancy. Keep moving, put your feet up, consider compression stockings, and know that relief — and often improvement — comes after the birth.