veins


Did you know that up to 50 per cent of pregnant women will develop spider veins? No? then read on…


problems that seem to crop up during the nine months. Say ‘hello’ to spider veins… If you thought that it was only the elderly


who got spider veins, then you can most certainly think again! Spider veins can develop very early in your pregnancy, sometimes even at the first sign of pregnancy, and most oſten increase as your pregnancy progresses.


What causes them? Spider veins are the result of both fluctuations in hormone levels and of increased body weight. During pregnancy, your body’s blood


volume increases and the increased progesterone causes your blood vessels to relax. Tis means that your blood vessels can easily become swollen with the blood. Also, as your growing belly puts pressure


on the inferior vena cava (the large vein on the right side of your body), it increases the pressure on the veins in your lower body.


What do they look like? Well, as the name would suggest, spider veins are little, visible red blood vessels, which have jagged lines branching out from them, making them look like spiders under


22MODERNMUM Spring 2016


Not so incey wincey… I


n Modern Mum, we always look at both the good and bad sides of being pregnant. From the highs of giving birth to those little, niggly


your skin. Spider veins are oſten confused with varicose veins, but there are some obvious differences:


Spider veins are: • small, thin, blue blood vessels that can be seen under the skin


• usually harmless • possibly a symptom of poor circulation


Varicose veins on the other hand are: • stretched-out veins where blood has pooled


• thick, 'ropey' and protrude from the legs • the result of one-way valves that don't work properly


How are spider veins diagnosed? If you are unsure as to whether you have spider veins, speak to your GP, who will usually be able to confirm them for you simply by looking at them.


How do you get rid of them? In most cases spider veins will disappear once you have given birth, but if you want to try and get rid of them yourself, you could try some of the following: • Improve your circulation by exercising, walking, or sitting with your legs elevated


• Use compression stockings: these help improve your circulation by squeezing your legs during the day. Your GP or midwife will be able to advise on how long you need to wear them to reduce the


appearance of the veins.


• Get a massage, but make sure it's carried out by a therapist who is familiar with pregnancy massage.


• Sleep on your back with your legs elevated


• Increase the amount of antioxidants in your diet: you can do this by eating more grapes, blueberries, nuts and dark green veg such as broccoli, cabbage and kale


• Do leg toning exercises as these will help increase circulation


• Rub apple cider vinegar on your spider veins, or place a cloth wrapped in apple cider vinegar on your legs for 30 minutes


• Try including more spices such as garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in your diet, as these help to break down the fibrin - the hard lumpy stuff around your varicose veins.


Can they be prevented? As with many minor conditions, prevention of spider veins is always preferable to cure so: • try getting plenty of vitamin C • don't cross your legs! Tis can cut off circulation and will make spider veins more likely!


• limit your salt intake • don't smoke (especially important if you're pregnant!)


• stay off the high heels as these put too much stress on your veins by putting your legs in an unnatural position. „


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