What About Hemorrhoids In Pregnancy?

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins that obstruct the passage of stools through the body. One of the biggest reasons for hemorrhoids is the condition of pregnancy in women.

What is the major reason for hemorrhoids in pregnancy?

Hemorrhoids are similar to varicose veins in that the inflamed veins in the anal area swell up with blood and can be painful. The size of the hemorrhoid may be that of a raisin or sometimes that of a grape.

Sometimes women get hemorrhoids before pregnancy. This is an indicator of hemorrhoid problems in the future, including during pregnancy. For some mothers-to-be, the news that they are pregnant may come with the emergence of hemorrhoids, a signal that their hormones are changing.

As the pregnancy progresses, some mothers may experience a surge or hemorrhoids towards the end of pregnancy when the baby’s head pushes against the pelvic and abdominal organs. Mothers can also experience hemorrhoids during the second stage of labor, when they push hard as the delivery process begins but the birth canal is not fully open or the baby is not moving fast enough.

One of the biggest reasons for hemorrhoids during pregnancy is the pressure of the growing baby on the inferior vena cava, the large vein which carried de-oxygenated blood back to the heart. This slows the return of blood and causes pressure on the veins below the uterus which it turn irritate the veins and dilates them.

Women can also get hemorrhoids soon after childbirth. The straining and pressure that accompanies childbirth can also cause hemorrhoids.

Constipation is also another problem that most expectant mothers experience. The surge or progesterone that occurs when the mother gets pregnant allows the walls of the veins in our body to relax. This enables the veins to swell easily and cause inflammation. Progesterone also causes the intestinal tract functions to slow down; this leads to constipation, constant pressure of pushing out the stools and resulting hemorrhoids.

What are some of the remedies for pregnant women?
As we all know, pregnant mothers are treated differently when it comes to health conditions because the growing baby could be seriously affected by any sudden movements or strong drugs.

What can a mother-to-be do to get relief from hemorrhoids?

One way to reduce inflammation is to apply ice packs to the affected area. This ice pack may be as simple as a cup of crushed ice, packed in a Ziploc bag and put inside a sock. Cold compresses with witch hazel seem to be comforting in such situations.

She can also sit in a warm bath (not hot) for a while to soothe the irritation and itching of hemorrhoids. Remember to ask the doctor if this is okay to do. Sometimes, in cases where the pregnancy is high risk, doctors may not allow the pregnant woman to sit in tubs or swim in pools, etc.

Also remember that although you may use topical creams at the site of the hemorrhoids, it is important that you discuss with the doctor the implications of how the drug will affect the growing baby in the womb.