Many women experience swollen labia during pregnancy because of the increased blood flow to the area; some women even develop blue or purple veins on their labia, also known as vulvar varicosities, due to the growing uterus compressing the veins in the pelvis. There’s not much you can do to prevent swollen labia, but you can find relief by avoiding sitting or standing for long periods of time.
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Labia swelling: What does it mean?
- Is it normal to have swollen labia during pregnancy?
- How can I get relief from swollen labia during pregnancy and beyond?
- Will I continue to experience swollen labia postpartum?
- Should I ever be concerned about swollen labia?
Labia swelling: What does it mean?
Some women find that their labia – the lips that surround the opening of the vagina – feel swollen during pregnancy. FYI, the labia has two folds of skin: The outer folds are called the labia majora and the inner folds are the labia minora. The area may not look very swollen, but it may feel full, irritated, or even itchy. The skin of your labia may also appear darker.
All of your external genitalia – including labia, vaginal opening, urethral opening, and clitoris – are known as the vulva. The changes to your vulva during pregnancy are due to increased blood flow to the area from the demands of your growing uterus and baby.
Is it normal to have swollen labia during pregnancy?
Having swollen labia during pregnancy may start as early as your first trimester and may grow more intense as your pregnancy progresses. This could be because your uterus and baby are getting larger and applying more pressure to the area. And you may feel more pressure late in pregnancy when your baby “drops.” This happens when the baby’s head moves lower into the pelvis in preparation for labor.
You may also notice blue or purple veins on your swollen labia minora or majora. These varicose veins (known as vulvar varicosities) are caused by your growing uterus compressing the veins in your pelvis and increasing the pressure inside them. Changes in pregnancy hormones also cause your veins to widen and relax, allowing them to swell.
What’s more, the increase in your blood volume during pregnancy limits how quickly your blood returns from your lower body to your heart. The result is that blood accumulates in the veins of your legs and vulva, causing them to bulge.
You may notice that your symptoms are worse after standing, exercise, or sex. If you develop varicose veins in your labia during pregnancy, they tend to go away within six weeks after delivery.
However, if you have swollen labia minora with a lump, it could be a sign of a vaginal boil or Bartholin’s cyst. This might also be an explanation for why there is swelling on one side of your labia. A Bartholin cyst forms when fluid gets stuck in your Bartholin’s glands, which are on either side of your vulva. If the fluid in the Bartholin’s cyst gets infected, you may develop pus around the area.
Pus around a small bump on your vulva can also be a vaginal boil, which you can develop from an infected hair follicle or an injury, like a cut from shaving. Vaginal boils look like small, red bumps that are swollen and painful. while a Bartholin cyst is painless, if the cyst gets infected, it will become very painful. Bartholin cysts usually go away on their own, but you can talk to your doctor about trying some at-home remedies, like a sitz bath. If you have a Bartholin cyst that becomes infected or a vaginal boil, you’ll likely need antibiotics that your doctor can prescribe.
Either way, if you develop swollen labia during pregnancy, you should bring it up to your doctor to make sure it isn’t a more serious issue; it will also put your mind at ease about any other changes to your vagina.
How can I get relief from swollen labia during pregnancy and beyond?
While there’s not much you can do to prevent swollen labia during pregnancy, you can find some relief from the discomfort by trying the following tips:
- Change position frequently. Avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time.
- Put your feet up. Elevate your legs above your heart (prop them on pillows) while lying down to help promote circulation.
- Use cold compresses. Apply a cold pack covered in a cloth to your vulva to ease your discomfort.
- Use a support garment. Look for a compression band, support strap, or underwear designed for vulvar varicosities. Some also provide support for the lower abdomen and lower back.
Will I continue to experience swollen labia postpartum?
It’s common for your labia to be swollen and sore after a vaginal birth. The miraculous process of giving birth does tend to traumatize the tissues in the vaginal area. Fortunately, your body’s ability to heal is equally miraculous.
The tender treatment you’re probably already giving your perineum – ice packs for the first 12 to 24 hours and warm, soothing sitz baths after that – will do wonders for your labia, too.
The amount of time it takes the swelling to go down depends on the cause of the swelling. Bartholin cysts rarely go away, while swelling due to fluid retention or varicose veins usually gest better within days or weeks of giving birth. And two weeks postpartum, you should definitely be on the mend. If you haven’t noticed significant improvement by then, ask your health provider about it. (For more details on postpartum care for the vaginal area, see our article on caring for a sore perineum.)
Should I ever be concerned about swollen labia?
If you develop swollen labia postpartum, it’s usually nothing to worry about and will heal on its own. However, you should still bring it up with your provider so they can keep a close eye on the area.
If you aren’t pregnant and develop swollen labia, it could be a symptom of vulvitis, or inflammation of the vulva. Pinpointing what causes vulvitis can be difficult, but using vaginal sprays and deodorants and douching are common triggers. In addition to swelling, you may experience extreme itchiness, redness, clear, fluid-filled blisters, and scaly patches of skin. Because these symptoms are commonly shared with other vaginal issues, like bacterial vaginosis and a yeast infection, see your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
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