I've had varicose veins since the age of 12. I am now 28 years old with an insufficient sapheno-femoral valve. If I get the EVLA procedure, will the veins get worse after I become pregnant?
Yes, pregnancy will affect the veins.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Varicose veins are usually exacerbated by pregnancy, so untreated veins will become worse and new veins may appear. The ablated vein should not reoccur.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Having varicose veins since the age of 12 is most unusual. I'd recommend a thorough evaluation by an experienced physician. Usually, having an EVLA would minimize any deterioration in the veins after pregnancy.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
In our clinic, we have treated many young women with saphenous incompetence of long standing duration. It is important that you receive a thorough evaluation and ultrasound exam by an experienced surgeon who specializes in venous disease to establish you have a normal functioning deep venous system before proceeding further. Then, I would recommend endovenous ablation of the saphenous vein and removing the superficial varicose vein ( microphlebectomy). I would advise this be done before pregnancy to reduce your risk of blood clots (either superficial or deep). This is a minimally invasive procedure with little to no downtime. When performed correctly, these veins will not recur. But, during pregnancy the veins dilate to carry extra blood. This could lead to other superficial varicose veins developing. You are genetically predisposed to these and the problem can be chronic in nature. We highly recommend our patients wear prescription support stockings to improve their circulation and make the legs feel better.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Treating it now should reduce the chances of further vein trouble during pregnancy. You should still wear compression hose during the pregnancy.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
No. There is no reason to wait to have your abnormal veins treated. In the "old days" surgeons advised patients to wait until after they had all their babies before undergoing vein stripping surgery. Perhaps because recurrent, sometimes pregnancy-induced, varicose veins were so common after surgery. These days, the technical success of EVLA approaches 99 percent, and when a patient is properly treated recurrence rates are very low. Why suffer with varicose vein-related pain and swelling during pregnancy when pre-pregnancy treatment is so effective?
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Pregnancy may cause varicose veins to worsen but if treated prior to becoming pregnant, they should not return.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
The varicose veins probably will not get worse, but they can recur after a pregnancy. Also, there is the possibility that new varicose veins will appear. Wear stockings during your pregnancy to try to minimize the risk of recurrent/new veins.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You should wait until after your pregnancy to have the procedure.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Your varicose veins shouldn't get worse if it is closed by EVLT and all of the reflux is from that vein.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
It is likely that you will have increased pain in your legs and pelvis when you are pregnant simply because of your long-ranging vein complications. If the venous reflux in bad enough, many physicians would recommend having a procedure done before you become pregnant. Due to the increase of blood during pregnancy, the veins will possibly become larger, and other veins might develop. Find an interventional radiologist to consult about treatment.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
If you have ablation of the greater saphenous vein before pregnancy, your varicose veins should not worsen after pregnancy, unless these veins are due to other incompetent valves from other veins.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
No, they will not. You might get some increase in small varicose veins, but it will depend on how complete the job was done. Success, in this case, would mean that the EVLA has eliminated not only the reflux on the large trunks (great saphenous veins), but also on the secondary trunks. Certainly if your vein problem is so severe that it began when you were 12 years old, your pregnancy would be very difficult unless you do something with your veins before becoming pregnant. Make sure that the person that does your evaluation and your treatments is someone who understands blood circulation problems and has board certification in Phlebology (Vein Diseases).
Published on Jul 11, 2012