Spider Veins During Pregnancy

Your body goes through a myriad of changes when you’re pregnant. In addition to your hormones being all over the map, it’s also quite common for pregnancy to cause unwanted spider veins. In fact, up to 40 percent of women develop spider veins while pregnant. The good news is that spider veins can be treated relatively quickly and with little to no pain.

Why Spider Veins Happen
Spider veins during pregnancy are caused for a couple of reasons. One is that your uterus grows when you’re pregnant, which put added pressure onto the veins responsible for returning blood from the legs. This additional weight makes your veins pool with blood, which in turn can cause the development of spider veins. The other reason is the increase in production of the estrogen and progesterone, both hormones that cause veins to open and become more noticeable.

Preventing Spider Veins
There isn’t a guarantee that you won’t get spider veins during pregnancy, but there are a few things you can do to reduce your chance of developing them. Before, during and after pregnancy, there are ways you can reduce the likelihood of developing spider veins. One way is to maintain a healthy recommended weight during pregnancy. Another is to wear compression stockings to help reduce swelling and promote healthy blood flow. Elevating your legs using stacked pillows when you lie down (so that your legs are above your heart) can also make a difference in whether or not spider veins develop.

Getting Treatment for Spider Veins
If you do get spider veins with pregnancy, there are treatments available to help diminish these unsightly veins. Talk to a vein specialist at Reeder Vein Institute about an individualized treatment option that may be right for you. Contact us online today or call us directly at 682-499-5672 in Fort Worth.  We look forward to hearing from you!