Many women suffer from hemorrhoids during pregnancy. They can be very painful. Hemorrhoids are caused by press and straining usually. Hemorrhoids are actually a varicose vein that has become enlarged and can remain inside of the rectum or can protrude out of the body. Not only will the person feel pain but there will be itching and swelling as well. Some times hemorrhoids can result for changes in a woman’s hormones during pregnancy.

There are several things that you can do while you are pregnant to help avoid or at least reduce the pain and discomfort of having hemorrhoids. To start with you should try to maintain a diet that is high in fiber; you should drink plenty of water to keep your body well hydrated to help insure free flowing bowel movements that won’t require you to stain when you go to the bathroom.

Other suggestions are to keep your feet elevated whenever possible, when you sleep try laying on your left side to help reduce pressure, don’t lift heavy objects, and a voiding any kind of stress will be beneficial to you.

If you do get hemorrhoids you can help soothe the pain by applying an ice pack in the area to help reduce swelling and ease the pain. You can get creams at your local pharmacy for hemorrhoids and another way to help ease the pain is to use a sitz bath for about ten minutes at a time.

Usually woman who suffer from hemorrhoids when they are pregnant find that they go away within a week or two of giving birth.