Pregnancy and Varicose Veins
Many women first develop varicose veins or find that they get worse during pregnancy before coming to seeing a vein clinic near me . This is particularly true for women carrying twins or during subsequent pregnancies. You may have little or no discomfort from varicose veins, or they may make your legs feel heavy and achy. The skin around a varicose vein may also itch, throb, or feel like it’s burning. The symptoms tend to be worse at the end of the day, especially if you’ve been on your feet a lot. Pregnancy increases the volume of blood in your body, but it also slows the blood flow from the legs to the pelvis. This change in circulation is designed to support the growing fetus and prepare the body for labor and delivery, however it can produce the unfortunate side effect of enlarged veins in your legs. You may have also noticed tiny blood vessels near the surface of the skin, especially on your ankles, legs, or face. These are called spider veins because they spread out like tiny tr