What to Do If You Developed Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy

While pregnancy brings joy and excitement, it also brings aches, pains, and other discomforts. One of those discomforts is hemorrhoids, swollen veins that develop in and around your anus. 

According to the Office on Women’s Health, about half of all pregnant women develop hemorrhoids, usually in the third trimester. While most cases of hemorrhoids disappear after pregnancy, some don’t. In many cases, they can be pretty painful and uncomfortable. 

At Sierra Pacific Surgical, our team of board-certified and board-eligible surgeons perform minimally invasive surgery for hemorrhoids that’s safe for pregnant women if symptoms become severe during or after your pregnancy and your obstetrician approves.

Why do women develop hemorrhoids during pregnancy?

Hemorrhoids form when the veins around your anus swell, causing pain, itching, swelling, and bleeding. During pregnancy, increased blood flow, coupled with the excess weight and pressure on your pelvic area, provides ample opportunity for hemorrhoids to develop. 

Other risk factors for developing hemorrhoids include:

• Sitting for prolonged periods
• Chronic diarrhea or constipation
• Not eating enough fiber

Many of these risk factors are common among pregnant women.

Common hemorrhoid symptoms

Hemorrhoids can form in your lower rectum or just outside of your anus. Symptoms vary depending on the location and size of your hemorrhoids.

• Itching
• Burning
• Tender lumps near the anus
• Pain with bowel movements
• Blood in your stool or on the toilet paper after a bowel movement

In many cases, the symptoms subside and the hemorrhoids resolve after you give birth. Treatment options during pregnancy usually involve managing your symptoms. However, if symptoms are intense, your obstetrician may recommend surgery. 

Hemorrhoid treatment options for pregnant women

Fortunately, there are many remedies you can try at home to alleviate hemorrhoid symptoms. Doctors usually recommend that you:

• Eat more fiber
• Don’t sit or stand too long
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Use a stool softener, if your doctor approves
• Walk regularly

If these home remedies don’t help and your pain is severe, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure during your pregnancy or after you give birth, called a rubber band ligation. This minimally invasive procedure does not require general anesthesia.  

During the procedure, one of our surgeons inserts a small rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid, cutting off its blood supply. Eventually, the hemorrhoid clots and falls off. 

If you’re experiencing painful hemorrhoid symptoms during pregnancy, find out if a rubber band ligation is the right procedure to help you find relief. Contact Sierra Pacific Surgical — located in Folsom, Roseville, Sacramento, and Grass Valley, California — to learn more about hemorrhoid relief.