What causes side effect that Katherine Ryan called her ‘blue Avatar vulva’

Katherine Ryan says she's been left with a 'blue Avatar vulva' as she goes through pregnancy, with the comedian and husband Bobby Kootstra expecting another child.

The couple have children Fred, three, and Fenna, two, together while Ryan's 15-year-old daughter Violet is from a previous relationship.

While she's been pregnant before this is the first time she's experience this strange side effect, as she appeared on the NearlyParents podcast to explain that her vagina was looking different.

"My vagina - or my vulva, rather - is blue. Blue. Like a Smurf. Like an Avatar vag," she told Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo.

Ryan said she had 'visible blue veins like in an elderly woman’s legs when she hadn’t had access to compression stockings', and that the advice given to her was to 'elevate your legs' but she explained that since she was busy working that wasn't often possible.

What she's got is something called vulvar varicosities, which is where varicose veins form on the surface of your genitals.

Katherine Ryan and her husband Bobby Kootstra are expecting another child (Ben Montgomery/Getty Images)

What causes vulvar varicosities?

Varicose veins occur when they become enlarged and twisted, you can get them anywhere in the body but they most often appear in the legs.

However, women can get them in the vulva develop vulvar varicosities as a result.

According to the Mayo Clinic a woman can get vulvar varicosities during pregnancy because there's an increase in blood flow to the pelvic region during this time.

Fortunately for Katherine Ryan and the other women affected by vulvar varicosities it'll typically go away by itself once the pregnancy is over.

Ryan and Kootstra have two other children together, and she has a daughter from a previous relationship. The wolf is not one of their children (Joseph Okpako/Getty Images)

How do you identify vulvar varicosities?

There are women who have vulvar varicosities without even knowing it since during pregnancy it can become difficult to see the vulva and recognise that something about it has changed.

Healthline says the signs include veins which appear to be twisted and look like they're bulging out of the skin, while the veins may look blue or purple.

They add that along with the change in appearance you might also feel pressure, pain or heaviness in your vulva which may give you some pain while walking or having sex.

Vulvar varicosities will generally arrive in the midst of pregnancy.

Varicose veins are typically found on the leg, but they can appear elsewhere (BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

What are the risks?

While the condition will generally not pose a risk to the woman besides the possibility of a painful feeling there are cases where the pain is enough to have something done about it.

Women with vulvar varicosities are recommended to elevate their legs to promote circulation, apply cold compresses to the genitals and get a support garment which also helps with circulation.

There are medications doctors can prescribe, and in rare circumstances they might recommend sclerotherapy which involves injecting varicose veins with a solution that makes them scar over and close.

Can it be prevented?

Preventing varicose veins is not guaranteed but there are things you can do to try and avoid it.

Keeping a healthy lifestyle of exercise and a good diet can help, as can avoiding sitting in the same place for too long at a time and keeping your legs off the ground when sitting down.

However, there's no sure fire prevention and the older you get the more likely you are to get varicose veins.

Thankfully in most cases it's not a serious problem.