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Yes, you can get hemorrhoids while pregnant, and roughly 30% to 40% of pregnant women experience them. That makes them one of the most common pregnancy discomforts, especially later in pregnancy.
Pregnancy hemorrhoids can feel embarrassing, but they're a predictable body change, not a personal failing. The good news is that once you understand why they happen, it gets much easier to tell what's normal, what can be soothed at home, and when a clinician should take a closer look.
Can you get hemorrhoids while pregnant? Yes, and for many women, they show up as one of the more common late-pregnancy discomforts. Major clinical references place pregnancy hemorrhoid prevalence at about 25% to 40% of pregnant women, and Cleveland Clinic gives the same general range of 30% to 40% in its patient guide. A broader 2025 systematic review pooling 163 studies and 8.69 million people found prevalence among pregnant women at 31.01% with a 95% CI of 24.02% to 38.00%. Cleveland Clinic
That's why this problem feels so common in OB visits, postpartum check-ins, and late-night internet searches. It isn't rare, and it doesn't mean you did something wrong.
Practical rule: If a symptom is common in pregnancy, uncomfortable, and tied to pressure changes, it still deserves care, not shame.
The timing matters too. Hemorrhoids tend to peak in the third trimester, when the uterus is larger, bowel habits are often slower, and pressure in the pelvis is highest. That late-pregnancy pattern is one reason people may think the problem came out of nowhere, even though the body has been building toward it for weeks.
A 2023 review also describes pregnancy hemorrhoids as a high-frequency pregnancy issue with estimates around 24% to 35%, and some studies reporting much higher late-pregnancy peaks. PMC review The takeaway is simple. Hemorrhoids in pregnancy are common, usually manageable, and especially likely to appear when you're already dealing with a lot physically.
Pregnancy changes the way blood moves, how veins handle pressure, and how easily your bowel movements come out. Stanford Children's Health points to increased blood volume, the weight of the growing baby pressing on pelvic blood vessels, and hormone changes that slow venous return as the main mechanics behind pregnancy hemorrhoids. Stanford Children's Health
The growing uterus adds pressure from above, which makes blood pool more easily in the veins around the rectum. When that area gets congested, veins swell and become irritated.
Hormone shifts make this even trickier. Many pregnant people notice constipation, and constipation usually leads to more straining. That strain pushes directly on the same veins that are already under pressure.
Simple rule: less straining usually means less hemorrhoid irritation.
A helpful way to think about it is that pregnancy is stacking the deck in three directions at once. There's more blood circulating, more downward pressure from the uterus, and more opportunity for constipation to trigger painful bowel movements. All of those forces land in the same sensitive area.
If you want a visual breakdown of the main drivers, this concept map shows the pattern clearly.
That's also why prevention is usually less about one miracle fix and more about reducing pressure from several angles. Hydration, regular bowel habits, and avoiding long toilet sessions all matter because they reduce the force on those swollen veins. When people understand the mechanics, the symptoms feel a lot less mysterious and a lot more manageable.
One prospective cohort of 290 women found that 43.9% developed perianal disease overall, with 61% of those cases appearing in the third trimester and 34.1% appearing after delivery. PubMed That timeline fits what many pregnant and postpartum women report. The problem often shows up late, and it can linger into the early recovery period.
A lot of people expect symptoms to end the moment the baby is born. That isn't always how it plays out.
During the third trimester, the baby is larger, pressure is higher, and constipation is often worse. Then labor adds another layer of strain. Pushing can irritate tissue that was already swollen, and for some women that means hemorrhoids show up right after delivery instead of before it.
If you're planning comfort care around that window, a warm soak can be useful after bowel movements or a hard day on your feet. A product like Sitz Bath Soak Mix is one example of an external soothing option people use for that purpose, though any product should be used exactly as directed.
The key expectation is this. Postpartum hemorrhoids are not unusual, and early recovery can be a sensitive time even if the pregnancy itself felt fine. If symptoms don't start easing after birth, that's a good reason to check in with your provider rather than just waiting it out.
The usual signs are pretty familiar. Hemorrhoids often cause itching, swelling, discomfort during bowel movements, and sometimes mild bright red bleeding on toilet paper. Those symptoms can overlap with other anorectal problems, which is why it helps to pay attention to the pattern, not just the word “hemorrhoid.”
A hemorrhoid usually feels like irritation, pressure, or a tender lump near the anus. An anal fissure often feels sharper, like a cut or tear, especially during or after a bowel movement. That difference matters because people sometimes assume any rectal pain is the same thing.
Mayo Clinic advises contacting a provider if hemorrhoids worsen and notes that pregnancy-related rectal bleeding can sometimes be misattributed to hemorrhoids. Mayo Clinic That's the kind of confusion that can delay proper care, especially if you're embarrassed to mention what's happening.
If bleeding is persistent, painful, or feels different from your usual hemorrhoid pattern, get it checked.
The practical cutoff is straightforward. Mild symptoms that come and go may fit a typical hemorrhoid flare. Severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever, chills, or symptoms that don't improve deserve medical attention. If you're reading this because you're unsure whether the problem is a hemorrhoid or something else, that's reason enough to ask a clinician.
For a deeper breakdown of symptom patterns, see this guide on pregnant hemorrhoids symptoms.
The safest first moves are the simple ones. Eat enough fiber, drink water regularly, and avoid sitting on the toilet longer than you need to. Those habits reduce straining, which is one of the biggest triggers for hemorrhoid flare-ups during pregnancy.
If you're looking at products, Revivol-XR's 5% lidocaine cream is one external option described as providing temporary soothing relief and comfort. It's not a cure, and it shouldn't replace medical evaluation when symptoms are severe or bleeding.
The same goes for hygiene. Gentle cleansing matters more than aggressive wiping. A soft cleansing lotion can be easier on irritated skin than dry toilet paper alone, especially after a bowel movement.
For more practical prevention habits, this guide on how to prevent hemorrhoids while pregnant is a useful next read.
If your symptoms are growing instead of settling down, don't try to push through in silence. Discomfort that keeps returning, gets worse, or starts bleeding needs a real conversation with a healthcare provider.
Yes, pregnancy hemorrhoids can happen before birth and still bother you after delivery, especially if labor involved a lot of pushing. Many cases improve postpartum, but not all of them disappear right away. If you're wondering about treatment during pregnancy, this overview on hemorrhoid cream pregnancy safe is a good starting point.
Some people also ask whether hemorrhoids affect labor. In most cases, they're uncomfortable but not a reason labor can't happen normally. If pain or swelling becomes extreme, though, that's something your clinician should assess.
A gentle cleansing product like Hygienic Cleansing Lotion can be useful for external comfort because it's meant to reduce friction during cleanup. As always, any product should be used exactly as directed.
If bleeding is happening, don't assume it's just hemorrhoids. Pregnancy rectal bleeding deserves attention when it's persistent, dark, or paired with worsening pain.
If you want a discreet, practical next step, visit Revivol-XR to look at external comfort options for hemorrhoid and fissure care, including soothing creams, sitz bath support, and gentle cleansing products. If your symptoms are severe, worsening, or bleeding, use that same visit as a reminder to contact your healthcare provider for proper evaluation.
