Hemorrhoids during Pregnancy

Pregnant women always want to know why hemorrhoids are so common during pregnancy. The easy answer is that being pregnant is hard on the body. Of course the female body is designed for fetal development, but this doesn’t mean it doesn’t put stress on all aspects of the body. The primary reasons that pregnant women seem to have a high incidence of hemorrhoids are related mainly to three things, constipation during pregnancy, a vaginal birth and pressure on the anal canal from the growing fetus. Clearly not all of these problems are avoidable, so the best that most pregnant women can do is to reduce their symptoms and manage the conditions as best as possible. 

It’s a common problem among pregnant women to experience stomach problems. This ranges from morning sickness, to a loss of appetite for certain foods, to constipation. Constipation, although perfectly normal, is a main contributor to the formation of hemorrhoids. Straining during bowel movements is thought to cause stress on the anal veins which then leads to them bulging out, this bulge is the hemorrhoid. Since constipation is somewhat manageable, this is a good place for pregnant women to start.  It’s usually not too hard to add more fiber to your diet; this added fiber serves two purposes. It makes your stools softer which lessens any hemroid symptoms you may already be experiencing and it also reducing straining to prevent further flare ups.

If you are having painful symptoms, your doctor may prescribe a prescription strength cream or suppository depending on whether your hemorrhoids are located internally or externally. There are also many medicated creams available over the counter and online. Sometimes a lubricating suppository to aid in the passing of stools can provide some relief. Although it seems that being pregnant does cause a lot of women to get hemorrhoids, there are a lot of treatment options available. Unlike with regular hemorrhoids that have a tendency to reoccur, usually with pregnancy hemroids, they will clear up shortly after the baby is born.