FAST & FREE 📦 3-DAY SHIPPING!*
By Hemorrhoid.com | September 14, 2025
Most people don’t realize that the normal, healthy changes that help your baby grow are the exact same ones that create the perfect storm for painful hemorrhoids.
Pregnancy is a beautiful journey, but it comes with some less-than-glamorous side effects. Hemorrhoids are one of the most common, but you don't have to just suffer through them. Understanding what causes hemorrhoids during pregnancy is the first step toward finding relief.
I remember being about six months pregnant with my first child. Everything was going great… until it wasn't. Suddenly, going to the bathroom became this dreaded, painful event. I felt a constant pressure and itchiness that I just couldn’t shake. I was embarrassed to even bring it up with my doctor, thinking I must have done something wrong.
When I finally mentioned it, she just smiled kindly and said, "Welcome to the club. Let's talk about pressure, progesterone, and pooping." It was a huge relief to know I wasn't alone and that there were concrete reasons for my discomfort.
It wasn't some random affliction; it was a predictable outcome of my body doing exactly what it was supposed to be doing to grow a healthy baby.
Your body isn't broken… it's just dealing with the side effects of a miracle.
That conversation changed everything. Understanding the "why" took away the shame and gave me a clear path to managing the symptoms. The main culprits are a combination of increased physical pressure from your growing uterus, a surge in the hormone progesterone, and the all-too-common problem of pregnancy constipation.
We'll dig into each of these causes so you can see what's happening in your body. More importantly, we'll cover how you can start finding real relief with safe, effective solutions like Revivol-XR, designed to soothe the exact symptoms you're experiencing.
If you’re suddenly dealing with hemorrhoids for the first time during your pregnancy, you’re not alone. This is an incredibly common part of the journey, affecting up to half of all expecting mothers.
So, what’s going on? It’s basically a perfect storm of factors. Think of it as a combination of increased physical pressure from your growing uterus, a surge in hormones, and constipation.
We'll break down each of these causes so you can understand what's happening in your body and how to start finding relief.
Let’s start with the most direct cause… simple physics. As your baby grows, the uterus expands and gets heavier, putting a whole lot of pressure on the large veins in your lower body.
Think of it like gently stepping on a garden hose… the water flow slows down and starts to back up. The exact same thing happens with your blood circulation.
This pressure slows the return of blood from your lower half, causing it to pool and stretch out the delicate veins in your rectal area. To make matters worse, your total blood volume increases dramatically to support your baby, adding even more strain. Studies confirm these mechanical changes are a primary factor.
While physical pressure is a massive factor, hormones play a sneaky but powerful role. The hormone progesterone skyrockets, with one of its main jobs being to relax the smooth muscles of the uterus.
But that relaxing effect isn't targeted… it happens body-wide. Progesterone also softens the walls of your veins, making them more flexible and much more likely to swell under pressure. Think of it like a new garden hose versus an older, softer one. The older one bulges more easily.
This hormonal shift also messes with your digestion. Progesterone slows down your entire gastrointestinal tract, a major reason why constipation becomes such a frustratingly common problem.
The image below shows how that increased pressure from your growing baby puts a direct strain on your entire pelvic region.
When you combine constant pelvic pressure with hormonally softened veins, you’ve got the perfect storm for hemorrhoids.
It's helpful to see the two main drivers side-by-side to understand how they team up against you.
| Factor | How It Contributes |
|---|---|
| Hormonal (Progesterone) | Relaxes and softens vein walls, making them prone to swelling. It also slows digestion, leading to constipation and straining. |
| Mechanical (Physical Pressure) | The weight of the growing uterus and baby increases pressure on the veins in the lower rectum and pelvic floor. |
Both are completely normal parts of a healthy pregnancy, but their combined impact makes it clear why hemorrhoids are such a frequent issue.
Constipation isn’t just uncomfortable… it’s a direct trigger for hemorrhoid flare-ups. When you strain on the toilet, you’re putting immense pressure on the veins in your rectum, causing them to bulge and swell.
During pregnancy, hormonal slowdowns already make you more susceptible. But a few other common factors can make things much worse:
So many women describe the frustration of dealing with constipation, only to realize it’s the very thing making their hemorrhoids more painful. It's a tough cycle.
This is why managing constipation is one of the most effective, proactive steps you can take. A great place to start is by focusing on the right foods good for hemorrhoids.
While pregnancy itself is the main event, a few other factors can make you more likely to develop hemorrhoids. If pregnancy opens the door to hemorrhoids, these things can give them an extra push through.
Your personal health history plays a big role. If you’ve dealt with hemorrhoids before, there’s a good chance they’ll return. The same goes for age… the older you are, the higher the risk tends to be.
Carrying twins, triplets, or more? That extra weight adds even more pressure. A major study confirmed that the chances of getting hemorrhoids climb with age, a previous history, and in women carrying multiple babies. You can read more about the study on hemorrhoid risk factors.
Knowing you have a higher risk isn’t a guarantee. It just means being a little more careful with prevention is a smart move.
Now that you understand what causes hemorrhoids during pregnancy, let's get into what you can do about them. A gentle approach combining small lifestyle shifts is best.
Take Action:
These small changes can bring a surprising amount of relief. For more ideas, check out our guide to the best home treatments for hemorrhoids.
The goal is to give you tools you can control, helping make your pregnancy more comfortable so you can focus on what really matters. That day in my doctor's office taught me that knowledge wasn't just power… it was peace of mind.
It’s natural to have questions, especially when you’re dealing with something as personal as hemorrhoids during pregnancy. Let's tackle some of the most common concerns.
We’ll talk about what happens after the baby arrives, whether your delivery method makes a difference, and when it’s time to loop in your doctor. For a deeper dive, check out our guide on how to soothe hemorrhoids after birth.
