When to Treat the Varicose Veins of Pregnancy

Another patient saw me this week who impressed upon me the need to educate both patients and their physicians that intervening on varicose veins is best done between pregnancies as opposed to waiting until the woman is finished with all pregnancies.

This Leesburg, Virginia patient is now well into her fourth pregnancy and has very painful, debilitating leg pain which worsens by the day. She is using her support hose and elevating the leg as much as possible, but the symptoms of throbbing and tenderness are quite concerning.

Venous insufficiency is due to weak one-way valves in the leg veins. These weakened valves allow gravity to push blood down the leg, leading to engorgement of the surface veins with accompanying symptoms.

Treatment in the office is a simple, effective and durable option to prevent this backflow of blood and allow restoration of normal circulation. The VNUS Closure Procedure is the most commonly performed therapy, but VenaSeal is a new, recently FDA approved option, though insurance coverage is currently unavailable. While Closure requires a few small injections of local anesthesia, VenaSeal eliminates these injections. Either is extremely well tolerated and allow immediate return to normal activity.

We strongly advise women with varicose veins to seek evaluation and treatment between pregnancies so subsequent pregnancies are better tolerated. Be sure to seek a vascular surgeon with extensive experience in the field of venous disease.