Varicose veins, a common symptom of venous reflux disease, can affect up to 40 percent of adults. Varicose veins are more common in those who are overweight, and in women who have had more than two pregnancies.¹¹ 

Women usually have multiple risk factors for the development of varicose veins. In fact, varicose veins are most common in women (75 percent of those diagnosed) than in men (25 percent of those diagnosed).¹² 

Up to 55 percent of American women may be affected by varicose veins in their lifetime. It is common for varicose veins to become more prominent during pregnancy and worsen with successive pregnancies.¹³

References

¹¹ Tisi, P. Varicose veins. Clin Evid (Online).http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21477400.
¹² American College of Phleboloby. Patienthttp://www.phlebology.org/patientinfo/faq.html#varicoseveins.
¹³ American College of Phleboloby. Treatment of varicose and spiderhttp://phlebology.org/images/resources/ Varicose_Vein_Brochure_Redesign.pdf.14 Pannier F et al. The relevance of the natural history of varicose veins and refunded care.Phlebology 2012; 27 Suppl 1:23-26.