BETTER CIRCULATION FOR A HEALTHIER PREGNANCY
Discover how graduated compression can help improve blood flow, reduce swelling, and support you and your baby’s health.
THE VITAL ROLE OF BLOOD FLOW IN PREGNANCY
During pregnancy your body is working harder than you even know. Your heart works 30% harder, and your body creates 50% more blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to you and your baby through placenta and umbilical cord. Graduated compression leggings and socks are one way to help. Poor circulation and insufficient blood flow can have a number of negative health impacts.
CIRCULATION
Up to 80% of pregnant women experience insufficient circulation and may not even be aware. Your pregnant body is working harder and needs to deliver more oxygen and blood to both you and the growing baby. Dizziness, swelling and fatigue are symptoms of poor circulation
SWOLLEN FEET
About 65% of pregnant women experience swelling in the ankles, legs, & feet due to water retention. Fluid pools in the lower body. This can worsen in summer or with prolonged sitting or standing. The pressure of your growing womb can also affect the blood flow in your legs.
VARICOSE VEINS
About 4 in 10 pregnant women develop varicose veins, with swollen feet increasing the risk by 40%. The likelihood also rises in second and subsequent pregnancies. Varicose veins occur when weakened veins allow blood to pool, stretching the vein walls and causing them to swell, twist, and bulge visibly beneath the skin.
MATERNAL BLOOD FLOW
By 12 weeks, the placenta forms and delivers oxygen and nutrients through the umbilical cord through maternal blood. It also functions tp help remove waste products. Healthy circulation is essential to support your baby’s growth and development.
HOW DOES GRADUATED COMPRESSION WORK?
Graduated compression garments are designed to apply gentle, firm pressure to your legs, with the most pressure at the ankle, gradually decreasing up the leg.
This design helps support the veins and boost blood flow back to your heart, improving circulation and helps fluid build up and blood pooling. This helps to reduce swelling, and reduce the risk varicose veins.
WHEN DO YOU NEED TO WEAR COMPRESSION?
Graduated compression garments can offer a number of general health benefits at any time but are particular helpful in the following scenarios.
LONG PERIODS SITTING OR STANDING
If you sit or stand for more than 4 hours at a time, your circulation can be compromised. If you have a desk job, are on your feet or have been ordered bedrest, compression leggings and socks go to work when your legs can't.
SUMMER & WARMER WEATHER
Swelling tends to get worse in summer because the heat makes your blood vessels expand, causing more fluid to collect in the surrounding tissues. Your pregnant body is already holding extra fluid, so the combination can make things feel even puffier.
TRAVEL & ROAD TRIPS
Feet swell on planes and long road trips because of prolonged sitting, which slows circulation and causes fluid to pool in the lower legs. Pregnancy increases fluid retention and pressure on blood flow, making swelling worse. The combination of reduced movement, cabin pressure, and pregnancy makes swelling more likely.
2ND & 3RD TRIMESTER
Better maternal blood flow becomes more important from 12 weeks the placenta is formed. It takes over to deliver vital nutrients to the growing baby. In the 2nd and third trimesters the growing uterus puts more pressure on the veins. Graduated compression leggings and socks can help.
