Is it normal to have itching during pregnancy

Of course, always consult your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or questions. Your body itching during pregnancy is challenging, both physically and emotionally, but you can take comfort in knowing that this pesky symptom typically goes away after birth. Hang in there! It turns out that 2 in 10 pregnant women will experience some itchiness on their abdomen or elsewhere on their body.

The itching is typically caused by your growing belly bump, which results in dry, flaky, and stretched skin, sometimes accompanied by a rash. Along with itching, you might notice some stretch marks on your breasts, tummy, thighs, butt, or upper arms. As the name suggests, stretch marks occur when the skin stretches and loses elasticity due to hormonal shifts.

In turn, your stretch marks might also itch! Even during early pregnancy, you might notice some itching and significant changes in your breasts. Most of that growth happens due to fat buildup and increased milk glands, all good things in preparation for feeding your baby. But do nipples itch during pregnancy, too? Yep, your entire breast is susceptible to itching, so you may notice itchiness on your areolas.

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Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Are you pregnant and experiencing vaginal itching? Are you worried and wondering what might be behind your discomfort? It's natural to be worried, especially when you're pregnant and any abnormality might signal a complication with your pregnancy.

Your doctor will diagnosis cholestasis with a blood test. A medical history will also typically be taken, because cholestasis can be an inherited condition and is more common if your mother or sister also had it during one of their pregnancies. Many over-the-counter anti-itch medications will not be effective if cholestasis is the cause of your itch, but your doctor may be able to prescribe other drugs that can help alleviate some of the itchiness and reduce the amount of bile acid in the blood.

Ultimately, the solution to cholestasis is delivering the baby, and the itch will usually clear up within a few days of giving birth. Because there is an increased chance of stillbirth, fetal distress, and preterm delivery, your doctor may want to discuss an earlier induction or more frequent monitoring during your pregnancy and for a period after delivery if you are diagnosed with cholestasis.

In rare cases a skin biopsy may be ordered. Blood work to rule out an infection may be done as well. The ultimate cure for PUPPP is to deliver the baby, and the rash will usually be gone within a few weeks of delivery. Moisturizers, steroid creams, and antihistamines prescribed by your doctor, as well as itch relieving baths, can help to temporarily relieve itchiness until your due date.

While moisturizers may help with the itch from prurigo, treatment typically involves topical steroids and oral antihistamines. While it may clear up shortly after giving birth, it can also unfortunately last for weeks or even months after giving birth. They can prescribe medications, rule out various illnesses, and make sure that you and your little one are safe. Cholestasis is a liver disease. Ding lives in San Francisco with her family.

Join now to personalize. Photo credit: Thinkstock. Is it normal to have itching during pregnancy? How can I get relief from itching during pregnancy? How can I prevent itching during my pregnancy? When should I call my healthcare provider about itchy skin during pregnancy? Sources BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.

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