Hemorrhoids in Pregnant Women
Hemorrhoids can be a very serious problem. Hemorrhoids are inflamed veins located in and around the rectum and anus. They can cause severe pain and also bleeding. Pregnant women are at higher than normal risk of getting hemorrhoids as pregnancy is a leading factor in hemorrhoids.
Throughout pregnancy women can get hemorrhoids after becoming constipated. Constipation is one of the most common causes of hemorrhoids and women who are pregnant are at higher risk of becoming constipated.
The fact that blood pressure increases in pregnant women can also lead to hemorrhoids. Higher blood pressure and volume can cause veins to expand and stretch to a point where they become hemorrhoids.
Constipation is also more likely in pregnant women due to secretion of progesterone. Progesterone secretion causes the vein walls to relax and the intestinal tract to slow down. This leads to extra straining and this straining leads to constipation. Constipation is one of the most common causes of hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids during pregnancy can be prevented. Some of the keys to prevention of hemorrhoids include not straining during bowel movement, exercising regularly (aim for 20 minutes per day), drinking plenty of water, and eating foods which are high in fiber. Foods such as fruit and vegetables are goods, as are cereals and beans. These foods help to soften stools and avoid constipation.
If you do get hemorrhoids while pregnant, there are many things you can do to prevent them from getting worse. Taking a sitz bath in warm water 2 ” 3 times per day helps to keep the hemorrhoid clean and reduce pain. Combining this with careful cleaning of the anus after bowel movement (sometimes using a damp cloth helps) also helps to prevent the hemorrhoid from getting any worse.
Being a common problem amongst pregnant women, hemorrhoid creams and lotions are readily available in chemists and drugstores. I recommend being very careful if using these creams as many of them do have negative side effects such as painful burning. Most creams only work to minimize hemorrhoid symptoms, not to cure hemorrhoids form the cause.
Hemorrhoids can also occur after child birth as a result of the straining required to give birth to the child. Most of the time they are not serious but it is still important to do something to cure the hemorrhoid as soon as possible because there is always a chance they will worsen.
If you suffer from hemorrhoids and are pregnant, I strongly recommend you use a natural hemorrhoid treatment plan, they both give fast pain relief and cure the root causes of hemorrhoids quickly and effectively.
