Pregnant women are more prone to varicose veins

Varicose veins is a disease that occurs because the blood in the veins does not flow according to the path but regurgitates, stagnates in the periphery, leading to hemodynamic changes, changes in surrounding tissue and causes blood clots in the veins. symptoms such as heaviness in the legs, pain and swelling in the legs, a feeling of crawling and numbness, cramps that occur a lot at night...
The disease can occur in almost any organ in the body But the majority of cases occur in the legs. The cause is explained by the long and complex venous system in the lower extremities, which is heavily influenced by gravity when the patient walks a lot.
Varicose veins is a disease that occurs in many subjects, in which people with the following factors have a higher risk of disease than usual:
A family member has a history of varicose veins; Pregnant women with varicose veins due to hormone changes, pregnancy with twins or triplets; Women are at higher risk than men; Age: Elderly people are more susceptible to varicose veins than younger people; Overweight and obesity; The nature of the job is to move less and have to stand a lot.

Pregnant women have varicose veins due to the following reasons:
Uterine compression: Along with the growing fetus over time, the pregnant mother's uterus is also larger. This condition compresses the large vein on the right side of the body (the inferior vena cava) leading to increased leg pressure. The decrease in circulation due to the compression of the uterus along with the increase in leg pressure are the causes of varicose veins in the legs during pregnancy. Increased blood volume during pregnancy: The increased blood volume in the mother's body during pregnancy increases the burden on the leg veins. Increased levels of female sex hormones during pregnancy: Increased levels of the hormone progesterone during pregnancy cause swelling and varicose veins, forming spider veins or filamentous veins. The risk of dilatation in pregnant women is higher if there is a family member with this disease. Besides, if varicose veins in the legs in pregnant women occur before pregnancy, the condition will tend to get worse as age increases and during pregnancy. Pregnant women carrying twins, multiple pregnancies, being overweight or obese or having to stand a lot of work are also some of the causes of varicose veins.

Varicose veins is not an acute disease and the danger does not occur in a short time. The disease causes itching, pain, and possibly bleeding because the weakened skin becomes thin and vulnerable.
The percentage of pregnant women with varicose veins of the legs who develop superficial vein thrombosis (blood clot near the surface of the skin) is not high. Symptoms of superficial vein thrombosis in patients are heat, redness, and pain in the area around the varicose veins. This condition does not pose much danger. However, when the area around the thrombosed area becomes infected, the patient needs to go to medical facilities for examination, diagnosis and treatment. Especially when there are symptoms of abnormally large legs, discoloration of the skin near the veins, or ulcers.
In contrast to superficial thrombophlebitis, patients with varicose veins appear to have a much more dangerous deep vein thrombosis, which can lead to death. Diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis is made based on clinical symptoms combined with ultrasonography.
The main symptom of deep vein thrombosis in patients is painful swelling in the thighs, legs, pain that increases when standing, accompanied by low-grade fever. Besides, pregnant women without varicose veins are still at risk of deep vein thrombosis, but the rate is not high.
Pregnant women with varicose veins in particular or patients with varicose veins in general have deep vein thrombosis, if not treated in time, the blood clot can move up high, leading to pulmonary embolism. symptoms of pain on breathing, shortness of breath, cough, tachycardia) and can be fatal.

Some measures to help prevent varicose veins in pregnant women are as follows:
Walking and exercising every day improves circulation, aids digestion; Keep your feet high when sitting and resting; Do not wear high heels, do not stand or sit in one position for a long time; Maintain appropriate weight according to each stage of pregnancy development; Should sleep on the left side and can use a pillow to help raise the legs and keep the sleeping position to reduce the pressure of the uterus on the great vein on the right side of the abdomen; Develop a balanced and moderate diet during pregnancy to help keep the venous system healthy. The diet should be rich in vitamin C to help increase the stability of the blood vessels and increase the body's immune system. In summary, pregnant women with varicose veins in the legs should be treated early to be effective and avoid dangerous complications. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has a package of lower extremity varicose veins examination to help customers who suspect the disease or have symptoms of varicose veins to receive an in-depth examination to determine the disease's condition. In addition, Vinmec Da Nang has trained human resources to deploy the technique of percutaneous vein intervention using laser.