Christina

My mother got really bad vericose veins from being pregnant and I really would love to avoid them. How do you get them? Is it just standing? Is it o.k. to walk alot? I have a job the puts me on my feet 12 hours a day (~3-4 days a week) but I am moving around alot. Does this put me at risk?

leeanne

I've a feeling the veins are caused from your job which requires you to be standing for 12 hours a day.

http://www.essortment.com/all/causesvaricose_rilo.htm

Here is a bit of information about it

em82

yes it can happen from standing for long periods. I saw midwife today and me to do a job that involves standing and ive been getting a few throbbing pains in my lower legs. Ive ordered some support stocking to wear under my trousers. Apparently you can get them without being preggers and standing but carrying baby puts us at higher risk

xx

Margerle

You can get them from sitting for long periods of time too. Anything that reduces the circulation in your legs.

In pregnancy two things are happening, one progesterone is being produced which is a natural relaxing hormone for ligaments, muscles, and yes the walls of the veins.

And we have a massive increase in blood volume during pregnancy. If our veins didn't relax to accomodate the volume we would get very high blood pressure. (BTW this is one reason why some women experience a period of very low blood pressure [sometimes fainting, etc.] right around 17 to 24 weeks as their veins expand and their body is catching up with blood production.)

So, because the walls of our veins are thiner and weaker they can't drive the circulation back to the heart as well, and because there's more volume, the veins get stretched out. As an aside this is the reason why a lot of women get edema (swelling of legs and ankles and feet later in pregnancy). The veins are just not as able to remove the fluid fast enough.

Support hose are your best bet to combat varicose veins (and edema). That helps keep pressure support on the veins and helps them do their job. And when you do get home, get those feet up!

I have terrible awful varicose veins (they are about 40% the ones in the pictures). My poor DH is worried to even touch them as he thinks he'll pop them.



Keep those support hose on ladies!