Benefits of medical compression stockings throughout pregnancy & after birth

This One-Pager reviews the effectiveness of medical compression stockings (MCS) against various signs and symptoms, throughout pregnancy & beyond. Wearing medical compression stockings throughout pregnancy until after birth alleviates nausea and vomiting in the first and second trimester. Medical compression stockings reduce leg pain, heaviness and edema and thus increase the quality of life throughout the whole pregnancy. Other beneficial effects of medical compression stockings include decreased reflux time and peaking reflux velocity in the great/small saphenous veins as well as reducing the diameters of the great/small saphenous vein. MCS help prevent venous thromboembolic events (VTE) and reduce the incidence of material hypotension.

Benefits of medical compression stockings throughout pregnancy & after birth

Pregnancy related signs & symptoms

  • Nausea and vomiting affect approximately 50% to 80% of women in early pregnancy (that is during the first trimester and early second trimester). Symptoms can be mild, or they can even require treatment and hospitalization (1). 
  • Leg signs & symptoms: Due to physiological changes, many mothers-to-be develop varicose veins over time. This can lead to chronic venous insuffi ciency, which is accompanied by leg pain, heaviness and edema. These symptoms usually worsen as pregnancy progresses (2)(3).
  • Venous thromboembolic events: The risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) increases during pregnancy and is at its highest in the three months after birth. If left untreated, DVT can lead to a pulmonary embolism (PE). VTE (DVT, PE) remain a main cause of maternal mortality in the developed world (4).
  • Maternal hypotension is a frequent complication following spinal anesthesia or epidural analgesia during birth. It may cause nausea and vomiting in the mother, and it can lead to fetal complications such as hypoxia, heart rate abnormalities, or acidosis (5).

MCS benefits throughout pregnancy and beyond

Nausea and vomiting

MCS (23-32mmHg) alleviate nausea and vomiting in trimester 1 and 2 (1).

Leg pain heaviness & swelling – varicose veins, venous insufficiency

MCS (15-20 mmHg) reduce leg pain and increase the quality of life (3).

MCS (20-30 mmHg) improve pain, edema and leg heaviness (6).

MCS (20-30 mmHg) decrease the reflux time and peak reflux velocity in the great/small saphenous veins (7).

MCS (20-30 mmHg) reduce the great/small saphenous vein diameters (6).

These effects can be observed throughout the whole pregnancy when wearing MCS. 

Venous thromboembolic events (DVT, PE)

For the prevention of venous thromboembolic events (VTE), MCS are recommended throughout the entire pregnancy up to six weeks after natural birth, or up to six months after a cesarean section (8).

Maternal hypotension

MCS (20-36mmHg) reduce the incidence of maternal hypotension following epidural analgesia during spontaneous term labor (5)(9).

MCS (20-30mmHg) worn during a cesarean section effectively reduce post-spinal maternal hypotension and neonatal acidosis (10).

Conclusion

Medical compression stockings provide multiple benefits throughout pregnancy and beyond:

  • Alleviation of nausea and vomiting (1)
  • Effective control of varicose veins and retrograde flow (6)(7)
  • Improvement of venous insufficiency signs and symptoms (3)(6)
  • Protection against VTE (DVT, PE) (8)
  • Reduction in maternal hypotension during birth (5)(9)(10)
  • Increase in quality of life (3)

Take-home message

MCS are recommended throughout the entire pregnancy (1)(3)(6)(7)(8) and childbirth (5)(9)(10) for up to six weeks after natural birth, or six months after a cesarean section (8). Because pregnancy-related venous indications may persist or worsen over time (3), SIGVARIS GROUP recommends the continued wearing of MCS post-pregnancy.

Further reading

A randomized crossover trial on the effect of  compression stockings on nausea and vomiting  in early pregnancy

A randomized crossover trial on the effect of compression stockings on nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy

This One-Pager reviews the effect of compression stockings on the symptoms nausea and vomiting in the early stage of pregnancy. It is published in English, German, French, Italian, Polish and Spanish. The conducted study shows that 80% of the participants would recommend wearing medical compression stockings (MCS) during pregnancy while they show a compliance rate of 100%. With MCS the participants reported significantly less nausea and vomiting. Besides that, wearing MCS has a positive effect on QoL factors such as dizziness, leg pain and physical/physiological limitations. MCS could therefore be a non-pharmaceutical instrument to alleviate nausea and vomiting symptoms during early pregnancy.
The pelvic congestion syndrome – an overview

The pelvic congestion syndrome – an overview

This One-Pager provides an overview on the pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS). It reviews pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment options for pelvic congestions syndrome. PCS is characterized by non-visible dilated, tortuous and congested veins within the pelvis. Premenopausal multiparous women are affected most frequently. Risk factors include genetic predisposition, anatomy, pregnancy, obesity and others. Patients with PCS experience chronic pelvic pain and a variety of other symptoms. Different methods such as ultrasound, venography, CT/MRI and laparoscopy can be applied to establish the diagnosis of PCS. Pelvic congestion syndrome can be treated with percutaneous embolization, medical therapy, surgical treatment or compression therapy as conservative treatment. This content is published in English, German, French and Italian.
Pregnancy and maternity: your leg health is essential

Pregnancy and maternity: your leg health is essential

Pregnancy is a very special time for you. It changes your body in many ways to support the growth of your baby, but also puts pressure on your legs. Therefore, it is important to have the correct support for your legs to keep them fit and healthy during pregnancy. This can be achieved through medical compression which is beneficial for your health during pregnancy.
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