Childbirth and Blood Vessel Damage: Risks and Causes

Question
Can childbirth damage the blood vessels in your head or cause them to constrict?

Answer
Excessive force during the second (pushing) stage of delivery can lead to swelling and broken capillaries in the head and facing.  Coached pushing, where you are instructed to hold your breath and push as hard as you can for 10 seconds, is especially likely to cause this reaction.  This can led to swollen, puffy eyes, bruises on the face and neck, and headaches.

Another cause of postpartum headaches is spinal and epidural anesthesia.  Leakage of spinal fluid that occurs in conjunction with these can cause "spinal headaches," which are very, very painful.