Anal pain in late pregnancy

Once a woman enters the late stage of pregnancy, it means she is about to welcome a new life. However, the more critical the period, the more attention we should pay. After all, nothing is more important than the safety of mother and child. Many women experience swelling and pain in the anus after entering the late pregnancy, which does not rule out the possibility that the women have hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are a common disease among pregnant women. The occurrence of this disease is related to many reasons, and pregnant women are advised to pay special attention to it.

What causes anal pain in late pregnancy?

Pregnant women are a high-risk group for hemorrhoids, with the incidence rate of hemorrhoids in pregnant women as high as 76%. Hemorrhoids usually appear in the late 28th to 36th week of pregnancy, especially constipation one week before delivery, which can cause local varicose veins and form hemorrhoids.

Frequent and repeated bleeding from hemorrhoids can lead to anemia, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue, poor spirits and other symptoms over time. It not only affects the health of the pregnant woman herself, but also affects the normal development of the fetus, easily causing developmental delay, low weight, and even premature birth or death. Internal hemorrhoids or mixed hemorrhoids may prolapse outside the anus when they develop to a certain extent. As the hemorrhoids continue to grow and prolapse, when the abdominal pressure increases slightly such as when pregnant women are walking or coughing, the hemorrhoids may prolapse and they will be unable to participate in activities, which increases the mental and physical burden on women in the late stages of pregnancy.

In addition, due to the gradual increase in abdominal pressure, especially in the late pregnancy, many pregnant women experience edema of both lower limbs, dilation of the upper and lower anal veins, and increased congestion. Finally, during natural delivery, they hold their breath, causing a sharp rise in abdominal pressure, leading to hemorrhoidal edema, eversion, prolapse or incarceration, which are difficult to reduce, causing great pain to the mother and even affecting her physical and mental health throughout the postpartum period and maternity leave. The chances and risks of hemorrhoids in pregnant women are much greater than those in the general population, which is very dangerous for both the pregnant women themselves and the fetus in their womb.

Treatment of hemorrhoids in pregnant women

Although hemorrhoids can be treated surgically, surgery is generally not recommended during late pregnancy. Moreover, since the intra-abdominal pressure decreases after delivery and the venous return obstruction is relieved, hemorrhoids can often shrink and shrink on their own within 3 to 4 months and no longer require surgical treatment. Pregnant women with hemorrhoids should mainly rely on diet adjustments and daily fumigation and sitting baths for treatment. Surgery is generally not used. Even if the condition is very serious, surgical treatment should not be performed until after the postpartum period.

1. Stop eating spicy and irritating foods, such as wine, chili peppers, peppercorns, ginger, onions, garlic, etc. Eat less indigestible food to avoid constipation and aggravate hemorrhoids. Eat more vegetables and fruits that contain fiber and have a laxative effect, such as spinach, day lily, fungus, apples, peaches, pears, bananas, melons, etc. If you have difficulty defecating, you can eat honey or some foods containing vegetable oils, such as sesame seeds, walnut kernels, etc.

2. For fumigation and sitting bath, you can use rhubarb, phellodendron, scutellaria, and sophora flavescens to boil water. After defecation or twice a day in the morning and evening, fumigate and wash the affected area while it is still hot, each time for 15-20 minutes. You can also use decoctions of mugwort, Sichuan pepper, Sophora horn or flower, purslane, fig, and Platycladus orientalis leaves for fumigation, washing, and sitting bathing. You can also use medicines such as hemorrhoid suppositories after defecation and sitz bath.

3. Reduce the time of standing or sitting for a long time to make blood circulation smoother.

4. Pregnant women can also do some exercises to promote local blood circulation in the anus: contract the anus on your own for 1 minute, relax and then contract again, for 3 consecutive times, 3-7 times a day.