Varicose Veins in Pregnancy

Why do varicose veins appear during pregnancy?

Pregnancy puts your veins under pressure from several directions at once:

1. Hormones. Higher levels of progesterone and other female hormones relax the smooth muscle in vein walls. Veins become easier to stretch, and valves may stop closing tightly.
2. More blood. Blood volume rises substantially during pregnancy to supply the baby. Weight gain adds further load. More blood in stretched veins means more pooling.
3. Pressure from the womb. As the uterus grows, it presses on the large veins in the pelvis, slowing blood returning from the legs.

LEDAS lists pregnancy and hormones among the main acquired causes of varicose veins . If your mother or grandmother had varicose veins, you are more likely to develop them too, and each further pregnancy can make them more noticeable. See are varicose veins hereditary?

What symptoms are common?

• Bulging blue or purple veins on the calves, behind the knees or inner thighs
• Small spider veins on the legs
• Heaviness, aching and swollen ankles, worse in the evening
• Itching around the veins
• Night cramps
• Swollen veins in the vulva, which can feel heavy or uncomfortable

Is it safe to treat varicose veins while pregnant?

Procedures such as laser closure and sclerotherapy are generally not performed during pregnancy . Many pregnancy-related veins shrink after delivery, so treating them too early may be unnecessary. Treatment is also usually postponed while breastfeeding. For more detail, read can I get treatment while pregnant?

That does not mean doing nothing. Conservative care is safe and effective at easing symptoms.

What helps during pregnancy

• Medical compression stockings. LEDAS notes they are especially suitable for pregnant women. Graduated pressure, tightest at the ankle, supports blood flow back to the heart. Put them on in the morning before swelling builds. Ask your doctor or midwife which strength is appropriate; see medical compression stockings .
• Walk every day at a comfortable pace to activate the calf muscle pump.
• Raise your legs when resting, ideally above heart level.
• Sleep on your left side in later pregnancy, which eases pressure on the large vein on the right side of the abdomen.
• Avoid standing or sitting still for long periods; flex your ankles often.
• Skip very hot baths and saunas , which widen veins.
• Limit salt to help with swelling.

More practical tips are on our leg care during pregnancy page.

When should I seek urgent help?

The risk of deep vein thrombosis is higher during pregnancy and in the weeks after birth. Contact your obstetrician or go to an emergency department the same day if you notice:

• Sudden swelling, pain, warmth or redness in one leg
• A hard, red, painful vein that is spreading

Call emergency services (119 in Korea) at once for chest pain, sudden breathlessness or coughing blood.

What happens after the baby is born?

Hormone levels, blood volume and pelvic pressure return toward normal over the months after birth, and many veins become smaller or disappear. Veins that remain after that point are unlikely to go away by themselves.

A duplex ultrasound at that stage shows whether there is underlying reflux. At LEDAS, treatment with EVLT and sclerotherapy uses local anesthesia only, with no incision and same-day discharge, which suits busy parents. If you plan more pregnancies, Dr. Kim Byoung Joon will discuss the timing that makes most sense for you.

Vein care before, during and after pregnancy

Varicose veins in pregnancy – frequently asked questions