Piles

Piles – or haemorrhoids – are varicose veins in your anus (back passage). People often make jokes about piles, but if you suffer from them they are not at all funny and can be very uncomfortable.

Under the influence of pregnancy hormones, the walls and valves of the veins around your anus relax and stretch. Blood flow is sluggish, and the effected veins swell and throb. Pressure from the growing uterus slows the flow of blood even more, whilst straining to open your bowels when constipated displaces the swollen veins and adds to the problem.

The symptoms of haemorrhoids include a feeling of fullness in your back passage, itching, soreness, pain when you open your bowels and, sometimes, a small amount of fresh bleeding afterwards.

Piles tend to occur from around the middle of pregnancy. They may take several weeks to disappear after the birth, and often reoccur in subsequent pregnancies.

• Try to avoid constipation by eating a high fibre diet and drinking lot of fluids.
• When opening your bowels, try to relax and avoid straining.
• Regular pelvic floor exercises may help to boost the circulation of blood in the area.
• Wrap a small bag of frozen peas in a flannel and lie down with resting against your back passage. Alternatively, soak a sanitary pad in witch hazel.
• Ask your pharmacist, midwife or doctor to recommend a suitable haemorrhoid cream.

Revised by babyworld midwife, Hannah Hulme Hunter November 2000.