Post Pregnancy Leg Health

Pregnancy can cause varicose veins which persist after delivery. Post pregnancy, with time, they only get worse; especially if there are further pregnancies. Vascular Vein Centers is here to help during and after pregnancy and treat your varicose veins with minimally invasive procedures.

Why does pregnancy cause vein problems?
Pregnancy causes significant changes in your body, and these can adversely affect your legs. The fluid in your body increases by as much as 50% during early pregnancy, and you retain more sodium from the salt you eat. These two factors can cause edema resulting in swollen legs and ankles. Levels of hormones like relaxin, estrogen, and progesterone change dramatically during pregnancy, causing your veins to dilate and weakening the vein walls. At the same time, your growing baby is compressing the veins in your pelvis, increasing pressure in the veins of your legs, and resisting the outflow of blood from the legs.
These factors make pregnancy a tough time for your legs. Although the causes of vein problems reduce after you give birth, the effects of pregnancy can leave you with lasting issues.

What post-pregnancy vein problems might I have?

Common post-pregnancy vein problems are:

Varicose veins
Varicose veins develop because of the pressure and dilation of your veins and resistance to the outflow of blood from your legs. The result can be spider veins with underlying varicose veins even if they aren’t visible. Most often there are visible rope-like, bulging varicose veins which may be tender or itchy.

Vulvar varicosities
Vulvar varicosities are varicose veins that affect your vulva. There are rare during pregnancy, and usually disappear over the months following delivery. If you have vulvar varicosities that don’t clear up, Vascular Vein Centers provides effective treatments. Pregnancy and post-pregnancy for up to 3 months is a time when you are at greater risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT risk is higher during pregnancy and peaks after giving birth. Your body is dealing with high hormone and fluid levels and an enlarged uterus, as well as a more sedentary lifestyle.

How are post-pregnancy vein conditions treated?
If you have vein problems after giving birth or persisting swelling, it’s advisable to seek an evaluation at Vascular Vein Centers. Hormonal changes continue to affect your veins and fluid volume for some months after having your baby and when you’re breastfeeding. This is a good time to wear compression and begin exercising. You might find that once the hormones and fluid volume return to normal, the problem veins get smaller, but they don’t go away and will become worse with time. Vascular Vein Centers provides advanced treatments for varicose veins, spider veins and vulvar varicosities, including:
• Foam sclerotherapy using Varithena®; an FDA approved treatment
• Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT)
• Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy
• Cosmetic sclerotherapy for spider veins

These treatments seal off and eliminate affected veins, so your body directs your blood through healthy veins. The treated veins disappear over time. The procedures are all minimally invasive outpatient procedures that the Vascular Vein Centers team performs in-office. To find out more about post-pregnancy vein therapy and the challenges of maintaining healthy legs during and post pregnancy, call Vascular Vein Centers today. For your convenience, appointments can be booked online.

Vascular Vein Centers
of Davenport / Haines City
121 Webb Dr Suite 300, Davenport
FL 33837

(863) 291-6313
www.PolkVVC.com
next to IMA Pichardo Clinic