The 5 Best Compression Socks for Pregnancy, Tested by Expectant Moms

In a nutshell:
Based on hands-on product testing, advice from three medical professionals and a survey of over 350 expectant parents from The Bump community, we chose Comrad Compression Socks as the overall best compression socks for pregnancy. This pair stood out because they were easy to put on, alleviated pregnancy-related foot pain and swelling and were comfortable enough for all-day wear.

If you’re pregnant, you’ve probably been told to “relax and put your feet up” more times than you can count. And honestly? You deserve it. Pregnancy puts your body through the wringer, and swollen feet and ankles are just part of the package, especially in those final weeks.

As a mom of two, I know a thing or two about swollen feet. I dealt with it during both pregnancies, particularly in the third trimester and even postpartum. The discomfort can range from annoying to downright painful. If you’re finding it hard to rest, recover and reduce swelling, one easy solution that really helped me was wearing pregnancy compression socks. They’re a simple, affordable way to help prevent or ease swelling, reduce the risk of blood clots and support overall leg health, which are issues that become more common during pregnancy. They work by “gently squeezing the limbs to help circulate blood throughout the body,” explains Loren Ball, WHNP, a nurse practitioner in women’s health at Hoboken University Medical Center.

Looking for the best compression socks for pregnancy that actually deliver day-to-day relief? We’ve got you covered. Our product testers have put the top-rated options on the market to the test, and below, you’ll find our top picks along with expert-backed answers to your most frequently asked questions.

How We Tested and Chose the Best Compression Socks for Pregnancy

To help readers find the best maternity compression socks, we started by reviewing 21 top-rated options currently available on the market. From there, we carefully narrowed the list down to 12 standout styles for hands-on product testing. From there:

• To ensure a well-rounded evaluation, three pregnant women, each in their third trimester, wore and tested the socks over two weeks. They assessed each pair based on factors like fit, comfort, compression level, ease of use and overall wearability throughout daily routines.
• We interviewed a nurse practitioner, a nurse midwife and a family medicine physician to better understand the essential features to consider when shopping for pregnancy compression socks.
• We surveyed over 350 new and expectant parents in The Bump community for additional insight on the ins and outs of specific compression socks for pregnancy.
• We researched what was being said about compression socks in The Bump community forums to learn what parents liked and disliked about specific products.
• To understand how these top-rated compression socks have worked for a variety of pregnant women, we conducted extensive market research, scouring external forums and message boards, and reading user reviews to discover what parents nationwide look for in maternity compression socks.
• We considered several factors when sourcing compression socks for pregnancy, such as material, fit, size range and more.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read more about how The Bump develops our product reviews.

Best Compression Socks for Pregnancy

Benefits of Compression Socks During Pregnancy

No one said growing a new human was easy. Pregnancy can come with a slew of uncomfortable symptoms and conditions, but the gentle pressure of compression socks can help with many of them!

Reduce swelling and the chance of blood clots

During pregnancy, your body produces about 50 percent more blood and fluids to support baby’s development—and while those fluids usually disperse proportionately, they can pool in certain areas like the legs, feet, ankles and fingers, leading to uncomfortable swelling. Moreover, your expanding uterus can put pressure on your veins and constrict blood flow to your heart, limiting circulation and increasing swelling.

This decreased circulation, as well as a natural spike in estrogen, also increases the odds of developing a blood clot. “In pregnancy, women are five times more likely to develop or experience a blood clot compared with women who are not pregnant,” Bell says. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are blood clots that commonly occur in the deep veins of your lower extremities, according to Ankita Sahni, MD, a family medicine doctor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. In the event that a DVT is not mediated, it can break off and travel to the lung, causing a blockage in its tissue. What can come next is a pulmonary embolism (PE), a potentially life-threatening issue.

The good news? Snugly fitted compression socks, which usually extend to just below the knee and provide gradient pressure along the length of the calf, effectively reduce swelling and the risk of blood clots, as they “aid in circulation and blood flow,” says Kristin Mallon, CNM, MS, RNC-OB, a board-certified nurse midwife for Integrative Obstetrics in Jersey City. What’s more, she adds, “since leg cramps are associated with poor circulation, compression socks can also aid in alleviating leg cramps in some patients.”

Ease varicose vein pain

Varicose veins can also develop as your pregnancy progresses, which can bring about pain, aching, itchiness and burning sensations that are incredibly irritating and relentless. Compression socks can help by moving blood away from the legs and up toward the heart. “If a patient has varicose veins, compression socks can be great in preventing them from getting worse, and decreasing the discomfort associated with varicose veins,” says Mallon.

While compression socks can offer a bunch of benefits during pregnancy, experts warn against using compression stockings. For one, they place constriction on your belly, especially as you transition from the second to third trimester; plus, compression pantyhose worn for more than eight hours over several days can “increase the risks for yeast and bacterial vaginosis,” Mallon says, which are already common in pregnancy when hormones are surging. If you need to dress up a bit more for work or events, consider a pair of maternity leggings with compression support, but take them off as soon as you get home to give your body a break.

When to Wear Compression Socks During Pregnancy

So when should you start to slip on those compression socks in pregnancy? Well, whenever swelling becomes more prominent. “Usually during the second and third trimester, women will start to notice spider veins and swelling, which can be uncomfortable,” says Ball. Also, if you’ve been confined to bed rest, immobile for more than four days or have been diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, Sahni recommends wearing compression socks.

Whether your job requires you to be on your feet or even stationary for the majority of the day, using compression socks is a great way to reduce swelling or improve circulation. They’re also good if you’re planning to travel while pregnant. Along with advising her patients to move around, stand and flex their ankles and feet on flights, Ball says “it’s extremely important to wear compression socks, because of the significantly higher risks of blood clots due to limited activity.”

All three experts we spoke with say that compression socks work best when you put them on first thing in the morning, even before getting out of bed. At that point, swelling is minimal, because the body has been lying flat throughout the night, so it’s much easier to put the socks on. “Many women put them on toward the end of the day when they realize that there is swelling in their legs, but if they are worn in the morning, this can prevent the swelling instead of treating it,” Ball recommends. Compression socks are more efficient when they’re used proactively versus reactively.

What Level of Compression Should I Use?

We couldn’t name the best compression socks for pregnancy without addressing compression itself. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here and there are many different levels of compression, ranging from low to high. The intensity of compression is measured in mmHg (which stands for millimeters of mercury), and as the number goes up, so does the pressure.

The right compression level for you depends on what issues you’re looking to treat. Sahni defines compression from light to firm, with the following therapeutic benefits for pregnancy:

• Light compression: 8-15 mmHg. Helps improve circulation and provides relief to fatigued legs.
• Moderate compression: 15-20 mmHg and 20-30 mmHg. Helps improve circulation, prevent DVT and decrease swelling.
• Firm compression: Above 30 mmHg. Helps improve circulation, prevent DVT and decrease moderate to severe swelling.

Moderate compression in the range of 20-30 mmHg is typically what Sahni suggests for her pregnant patients: “This level of compression is comfortable and effective at preventing DVTs.”

She goes on to say that firm compression is certainly an option for moms-to-be with more advanced swelling, pain or discomfort, but will often require a prescription. Prescription socks that can be found in pharmacies or medical supply stores offer the greatest levels of compression and circulation assistance and can go all the way up the leg (hello thigh-highs!).

Sahni’s best advice? “Look for socks that say ‘gradual compression’ and have the compression gradient listed on the packaging.” Just like the name suggests, graduated compression means that the pressure will be proportionate to where it’s needed the most: tightest at the ankles or the bottom of the sock and loosest at the knee or top of the sock. In keeping with her advice, every pair of socks in our roundup offers graduated compression.

About the writer:
Christine Carpenter is a New York-based storyteller and devoted mother of two young boys. With over a decade of experience in fashion accessories, she has a keen eye for how well-designed, functional clothes can make a significant difference in everyday life—especially during pregnancy and postpartum. Christine brings her personal insight and professional expertise to product reviews, helping parents find solutions that are both practical and supportive. Her writing has been featured in The Bump, Motherscope, The Kindred Voice and Mantra Wellness, where she explores the realities of motherhood and uplifts others through honest storytelling and shared experiences.

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Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.