{"id":26032,"date":"2025-01-11T18:00:59","date_gmt":"2025-01-11T18:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=26032"},"modified":"2025-08-20T15:06:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T15:06:25","slug":"vulvar-varicose-veins-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/pregnancy\/vulvar-varicose-veins-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Vulvar varicose veins and pregnancy: understanding and prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"

Varicose veins<\/strong> are <\/span>venous dilations<\/strong> that can cause <\/span>swelling<\/strong> or a <\/span>painful sensation<\/strong>. A <\/span>vulvar varicose vein<\/strong> is a varicose vein that, as its name suggests, is located in the vulva. The numerous <\/span>changes<\/strong> \u2014 especially hormonal \u2014 inherent to <\/span>pregnancy<\/strong> make pregnant women more prone to varicose veins.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vulvar varicose vein and pregnancy<\/strong>: let\u2019s take a closer look.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a vulvar varicose vein?<\/b><\/h2>\n

A <\/span>vulvar varicose vein<\/strong> is a <\/span>dilated vein<\/strong> that may appear as a visible <\/span>swelling<\/strong> on the labia majora. This phenomenon is generally linked to <\/span>venous insufficiency<\/strong>, in other words, <\/span>poor blood circulation<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes and risk factors during pregnancy<\/b><\/h2>\n

Although <\/span>vulvar varicose veins<\/strong> can occur at any time in a woman\u2019s life, they are particularly common during <\/span>pregnancy<\/strong> due to <\/span>physiological<\/strong> and hormonal changes that occur during this period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Good to know: vulvar varicose veins most often appear in <\/span>late pregnancy<\/strong>, but sometimes as early as the <\/span>second trimester<\/span>. They can be <\/span>uncomfortable<\/strong> and sometimes even <\/span>painful<\/strong>, but they <\/span>usually disappear spontaneously<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hormonal changes<\/b><\/h3>\n

During pregnancy, the body secretes more hormones, particularly <\/span>estrogen and <\/span>progesterone. These hormones play an important role in <\/span>fetal development<\/span>, but they also have a significant impact on the <\/span>venous system<\/strong> and, therefore, on the potential appearance of <\/span>vulvar varicose veins<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n