Why your growing uterus could cause haemorrhoids

As you go through pregnancy, your uterus increases in size. This puts pressure on the pelvic veins, which ultimately increases the pressure on the blood vessels around the anus making them swell and could potentially turn them into haemorrhoids.

Constipation during pregnancy

Constipation is common during pregnancy, it also a leading contributor to haemorrhoids. The reason for this is straining to have a bowel movement (poo) when you’re constipated. This increase in pressure on the veins around your bottom can ultimately result in a hemorrhoid.

An increase in progesterone can cause haemorrhoids

During pregnancy, you produce more of the progesterone hormone. This is perfectly natural, but the downside of this is the effect that this increase has on the walls of your blood vessels, slightly relaxing them, making you more susceptible to hemorrhoids in pregnancy.

When could you get piles during pregnancy?

Hemorrhoids during pregnancy are more common during your third trimester (27 to 40 weeks) when your body is under most pressure. This will be the first time some women will get piles, but if you have suffered with them before then you are more likely to get them again during that period. The act of giving birth during second stage labour can also bring on hemorrhoids.

Piles after pregnancy

For most new mums haemorrhoids during pregnancy tend to go away after the birth of your child.

How to relieve your haemmorrhoids during your pregnancy

There are a few things that will help manage the symptoms of haemorrhoids during pregnancy:

• Maintaining a high fruit and fibre diet will help keep constipation at bay, ensuring that the haemorrhoid isn’t aggravated by increased straining.
• In the same way, drinking plenty of water will have a similar benefit.
• If you can, try to avoid sitting for too long and take gentle walks to keep the blood moving around your body. This produces benefits by reducing the pressure around your bottom.
• For instant relief there are a number of creams and ointments that you can try. These are available from your pharmacy and work by numbing the haemorrhoid, reducing the itchiness that you might experience. Read our useful guide about cream and ointments.

If my haemorrhoids don’t go away after giving birth, is there a cure?

There is NO cure that will prevent you from ever getting haemorrhoids but there are treatments that can eradicate the haemorrhoids that you have.

The main treatment options can be found here.

The eXroid electrotherapy procedure is a non-invasive and non-surgical treatment, which treates internal piles. For most people, the side effects are manageable, allowing them to continue their daily activites. Please click here for details.

A discreet call to one of our advisors will put you on the first steps to saying goodbye to your piles. Appointments are usually sorted within two weeks. All treatments are carried out by fully qualified doctors.

To speak with an eXroid consultant, please call us on 0800 999 3777 or click here for all other queries.