Why Do Pregnant Women Get Hemorrhoids?

Obviously being pregnant is a very happy time in many women’s lives, but this doesn’t mean its all sunshine and roses. Most women could do without the back aches, swollen feet, morning sickness, exhaustion and hemorrhoids. Yes, I said hemorrhoids. Many women experience hemorrhoids while pregnant. It really is no wonder that so many women experience this condition while pregnant, because pregnancy although completely natural is still hard on the body. The main reasons that pregnant women are susceptible to this conditon are because of constipation, a vaginal birth and fetal development.

A lot of women experience stomach problems while pregnant, so constipation is unfortunately sometimes part of the process. Constipation leads to straining during bowel movements which is a primary cause of hemroids. While the baby is growing inside the uterus, it is putting pressure on the entire body including the anal canal; again this is a natural unavoidable part of pregnancy. The third part of the equation is the actual vaginal birth itself. While pushing and straining during the birth, obviously the anal canal will be under considerable stress.

Pregnancy hemorrhoids are the same as regular hemorrhoids; typical symptoms are bleeding during bowel movements, pain and itching. Usually over the counter medication can help with minor symptoms, if you have more serious symptoms, then your doctor can give you a prescription strength cream or suppository. Some preventative measures such as eating more fiber can help with the problem. Be sure to discuss all you symptoms with your doctor just to stray on the side of caution.

The good news with pregnancy hemorrhoids is that unlike a  regular hemroid, they will usually clear up shortly after the delivery and you may not experience any further problems. Usually people with this condition are prone to flare ups, but this is usually not the case with pregnancy piles.