Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Blood Vessel Changes during Pregnancy

A Review

  • Review Article
  • Published:
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The profound endocrine upheaval of pregnancy is frequently associated with changes in the function and structure of the blood and lymph microvasculature of the skin and mucosae. Palmar erythema is frequent but rarely severe and is associated with burning sensations. Spider telangiectasias develop in the majority of pregnant White women but are less often identified in women with darker skin. Hemangiomas and glomus tumors occur in one-third of women. A firm edema may develop on the face and extremities in the final months of pregnancy. Venous hypertension and varicosities of the lower limbs are common. Gingivitis, gum hypertrophy, and pyogenic granuloma are common in the oral cavity. The vaginal mucosa is also affected, showing a violaceous aspect, at times accompanied by varicosities of the vulva. Many gestational vascular changes regress spontaneously in the postpartum phase. Some vascular tumors may need to be treated with a vascular laser or intense pulsed light.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The use of trade names is for product identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

References

  1. Callen JP. Pregnancy’s effects on the skin: common and uncommon changes. Postgrad Med J. 1984; 75: 138–45

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Wong RC, Ellis CN. Physiologic skin changes in pregnancy. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1984; 10: 929–40

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wong RC, Ellis CN. Physiologic skin changes in pregnancy. Semin Dermatol. 1989; 8: 7–11

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Martin AG, Leal-Khouri S. Physiologic skin changes associated with pregnancy. Int J Dermatol. 1992; 31: 375–8

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Estève E, Saudeau L, Pierre F, et al. Physiological cutaneous signs in normal pregnancy: a study of 60 pregnant women [in French]. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 1994; 121: 227–31

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Piérard-Franchimont C, Hermanns-Lê T, Piérard GE. Skin during pregnancy [in French]. Rev Med Liege. 1999; 54: 393–400

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Chang S, Agredano Z, Kimball B. Risk factors associated with striae gravidarum. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004; 51: 881–5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hermanns JF, Piérard GE. High resolution epiluminescence colorimetry of striae distensae. J Fur Acad Dermatol Venereol. In press

  9. Henry F, Rakic L, Van Cromphaut I, et al. Skin microcirculation, adhesion molecules and inflammatory dermatoses [in French]. Rev Med Liege. 1998; 53: 479–82

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Berardesca E, Lévêque JL, Masson P. EEMCO guidance for the measurement of skin microcirculation. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 2002; 15: 442–56

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Piérard GE. EEMCO guidance to the assessment of skin colour. J Fur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 1999; 10: 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  12. Glawanakowa W, Popowa G. Studies on the desquamation of vascular endothelium in EPH-gestosis [in German]. Cor Vasa. 1988; 30: 140–5

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Sochorova R, Svecova D, Sinka L, et al. Increased endothelemia as an indirect marker of changes in the blood vessel endothelium in psoriasis. J Fur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2004; 18: 556–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Piérard GE, Piérard-Franchimont C, Lapière CM. Proliferation and hyperplasia of vascular endothelium in human skin. Am J Dermatopathol. 1985; 7: 477–88

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Piérard GE, Piérard-Franchimont C. Stochastic relationship between the growth fraction and vascularity of thin malignant melanomas. Fur J Cancer. 1997; 33: 1888–92

    Google Scholar 

  16. Heymans O, Blacher S, Brouers F, et al. Fractal quantification of the microvasculalure heterogeneity in cutaneous melanoma. Dermatology. 1999; 198: 212–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Uhoda I, Piérard GE, Piérard-Franchimont C, et al. Vascularity and fractal dimensions of the dermo-epidermal interface in guttate and plaque type psoriasis. Dermatology. 2005; 210: 189–93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Piérard GE. Isolation of the vascular plexuses from the dermis. Am J Dermatopathol. 1985; 7: 85–6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Robinson JL, Hall CS, Sedzimir CB. Arteriovenous malformations, aneurysms and pregnancy. J Neurosurg. 1974; 41: 63–70

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Banerij S, Ni J, Wang SX, et al. LYVE-1, a new homologue of the CD44 glycoprotein, is a lymph-specific receptor for hyalmonan. J Cell Biol. 1999; 144: 789–801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Quatresooz P, Martalo O, Pi ’erard GE. Differential expression of al (IV) and a5 (IV) collagen chains in basal cell carcinoma. J Cutan Pathol. 2003; 30: 548–52

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Quatresooz P, Piérard GE. Distinct expression patterns of al (IV) and a5 (IV) collagen chains in cylindroma and malignant cylindroma. Int J Mol Med. 2005; 15: 7–31

    Google Scholar 

  23. Quatresooz P, Fumal I, Willemaers V, et al. Diffuse dermal angiomatosis: undescribed pattern of immunoglobulin and complement deposits in two cases. Am J Dermatopathol. In press

  24. Quatresooz P, Piérard GE. Immunohistochemical investigation of al (IV) and a5 (IV) collagen chains in a broad spectrum of melanocytic tumours. Melanoma Res. 2005; 15: 161–8

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Al Buainian H, Verhaeghe E, Dierckxsens L, et al. Early treatment of hemangiomas with lasers: a review. Dermatology. 2003; 206: 370–3

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Wlotzke U, Hohenleutner U, Abd-el-Raheem TA, et al. Side effects and complications of flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye later therapy of port-wine stains: a prospective study. Br J Dermatol. 1991; 24: 467–72

    Google Scholar 

  27. Levine VL, Geronemus RG. Adverse effects associated with the 577 nm and 585 nm pulsed dye laser in the treatment of cutaneous vascular lesions: a study of 500 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1995; 32: 613–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Raulin C, Weiss RA, Schonermark MP. Treatment of essential telangiectasias with an intense pulsed light source (Photoderm VL). Dermatol Surg. 1997; 23: 941–5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Schroeter CA, Neumann HA. An intense light source: the photoderm VL-flashlamp as a new treatment possibility for vascular skin lesions. Dermatol Surg. 1998; 24: 74–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Angermeier MC. Treatment of facial vascular lesions with intense pulsed light. J Cutan Laser Ther. 1999; 1: 95–100

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Green D. Photothermal removal of telangiectasias of the lower extremities with the Photoderm VL. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998; 38: 61–8

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Retamar RA, Chames C, Pellerano G. Treatment of linear and spider telangiectasia with an intense pulsed light source. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2004; 3: 187–90

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Poetke M, Philipp C, Berlien HP. Flashlamp pumped pulsed dye laser for hemangiomas in infancy: treatment of superficial vs mixed hemangiomas. Arch Dermatol. 2000; 136: 628–32

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Raulin C, Greve B. Retrospective clinical comparison of hemangioma treatment by Fashlamp pumped (585 nm) and frequency-doubled Nd:YAG (532 nm) lasers. Lasers Surg Med. 2001; 28: 40–3

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Goldman MP. Treatment of benign vascular lesions with a Photoderm VL high-intensity pulsed source. Adv Dermatol. 1997; 13: 503–21

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Raulin C, Schroeter CA, Weiss R, et al. Treatment of port-wine stains with a noncoherent light source: a retrospective study. Arch Dermatol. 1999; 135: 679–83

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this manuscript. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatopathology, University Hospital Sart-Tilman, Liège, B-4000, Belgium

    Frédérique Henry, Pascale Quatresooz, Jenny C. Valverde-Lopez &  Gérald E. Piérard

  2. Department of Dermatology, Hospital Regional Docente, Trujillo, Peru

    Jenny C. Valverde-Lopez

Authors
  1. Frédérique Henry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pascale Quatresooz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jenny C. Valverde-Lopez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gérald E. Piérard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gérald E. Piérard.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Henry, F., Quatresooz, P., Valverde-Lopez, J.C. et al. Blood Vessel Changes during Pregnancy. Am J Clin Dermatol 7, 65–69 (2006). https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200607010-00006

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200607010-00006

Keywords

Search

Navigation