Many pregnant women suffer from some form of varicose veins. Varicose veins are caused by impaired blood flow in our veins, something that in medical language is called varicose veins.

Veins are the blood vessels that bring the blood back from the tissue to the heart. There are valves in the veins that regulate blood flow, which fail if you suffer from varicose veins. Due to the impaired blood flow, the vessels become stagnant and you can see the varicose veins as clearly enlarged vessels. Sometimes you can’t see the vessels, but the tissue looks swollen, which is common in the lower abdomen. The body parts that are often affected by varicose veins during pregnancy are the legs and abdomen.

In most cases, varicose veins cause no discomfort, but some women have problems with pain, itching and tenderness. There is a greater risk of developing varicose veins if it runs in the family, you gain a lot of weight during pregnancy or sit still for long periods of time. If you have varicose veins in your abdomen, it may be difficult to sit down because of the pain. Varicose veins in the abdomen rarely occur until the end of pregnancy and usually the symptoms subside soon after delivery. To relieve the discomfort, you can, for example, cool a towel and place it against your abdomen.

It is not possible to prevent varicose veins in the abdomen, but it is possible to reduce the risk of varicose veins in your legs by:

• Staying active, i.e. don’t sit or stand still for too long. Move your legs and feet regularly. Keep your blood circulating by, for example, walking and doing exercise.
• Using support stockings (class one or two) all day. For maximum effect, put them on before you get out of bed and put your feet on the floor.
• Keeping your legs in a high position when you lie down and sit down – even when you sleep. This reduces the pressure on the veins.

If the varicose veins are still there after six months after your child was born, it may be worth seeing a doctor, ideally through your health centre. If necessary, the doctor can refer you to a surgeon for potential surgery, foam or laser treatment. If varicose veins occur during your pregnancy, it is common for them to return during your next pregnancy, which is why surgery is often only possible after you have given birth.

Don’t forget that varicose veins are harmless! In a few cases, a vascular inflammation of the superficial veins may occur, but this is not a serious condition either.