What are Hemorrhoids?
Pregnant women are prone to Hemroids, which are simply blood vessels that have become engorged.
Hemroids can be internal or external. If external, you will more easily feel them as a lump or knot. They vary in size from that of a raisin to a grape.

Hemorrhoids can be itchy, painful, irritating, and they can bleed if ruptured. Rupturing often occurs during bowel movements. Hemroids cannot harm your baby, and are not life threatening to you, but they can be very uncomfortable. You can treat Hemoroids safely while pregnant and get immediate relief from the pain and dicomfort of Hemroids.

What Causes Hemorrhoids?
In pregnant women, due to the changes your body is going through, there are a variety of factors that can cause hemorrhoids:
- the pressure of the baby on the pelvic region can slow the return of blood from the lower half of your body, which increases the pressure on the veins below the level of your uterus and causes them to become more dilated or swollen.
- severe constipation (a frequent factor during pregnancy) because because straining leads to hemorrhoids, and you tend to strain when having a hard bowel movement. In addition, an increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy causes the walls of your veins to relax, allowing them to swell more easily
- and also contributes to constipation by slowing things down in your intestinal tract.
- you may have not had a problem during your pregnancy at all, but the 'pushing' during phase two of labour may cause hemorrhoids

What can I do to Prevent Hemroids?
- don't stand or sit in the same position for too long, walk, change position, don't cross your legs or otherwise further restrict blood flow to your lower extremities, elevate your legs when watching TV - lie on the couch or use a foot stool...
- avoid constipation, keep active (gentle activity like walking), eat high fibre foods with plenty of roughage - bran flakes, fruit, vegetables, avoid white bread and have wholemeal instead, if you can drink it (many don't like it) drink a glass of prune juice every 2-3 days.
- avoid constipation - when you need a bowel movement...GO! don't 'wait 'til you get home' - you might get stuck in traffic...
- try strengthening the muscles that support your urethra, bladder, uterus, and rectum... a specific type of exercise that helps to control postpartum incontinence also increases circulation in the rectal area and therefore helps to prevent Hemroids, they are called Kegel exercises - what you do is tightenen the muscles around your vagina as though you were trying to stop mid urine flow (don't do it whlie actually urinating though, unless you're testing!) Hold for 8-10 seconds and then relax. Start with doing Kegels a few times a day, and as your muscles get stronger, do more - Try to work up to 3 sets of 10 'squeezes' 3 or 4 times a day.

Can I Treat Hemroids?
Yes! A pregnancy friendly version of a well known natural product guaranteed to heal hemorrhoids is available for pregnant women. This product has been specifically formulated for use in the treatment of chronic external / internal hemorrhoids, and is proven to shrink hemorrhoidal tissue and completely eliminate / remove Hemorrhoids. An effective Cure for Hemorrhoids is a click away.