I guess this will be my second biggest nightmare which I experienced during my pregnancy (well, the first being my morning sickness). Guess what, this week I was attacked by the biggest irritating problem which I had... the eczema!!! :s It was all over my hands and foot!! All my 20 fingers are being attacked... :'( And it's very very itchy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't help but scratching it to satisfy myself.... I know it's no good if I keep scratching it... Wish this can go away soon! I'm dying of itchiness here! :X Dear Lord, please help me get rid of this eczema. Hope it doesn't affect my baby too. Thank you Lord for everything. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Below are some info from Baby Center website regarding my discomfort:
Is it normal to feel itchy during pregnancy?
It's not uncommon to feel itchy, particularly around your growing belly and breasts as your skin stretches to accommodate them. Hormonal changes may also be partly to blame.
Some pregnant women find that their palms and the soles of their feet get red and sometimes itchy. This common condition may be caused by an increase in estrogen. It usually disappears right after delivery.
You may also find that things that normally make you itchy — dry skin, eczema, food allergies — make you even itchier when you're pregnant. Finally, there are certain conditions that occur during pregnancy that may cause you to feel itchy (see below).
How can I get relief from the itching?
Avoid hot showers and baths, which can dry out your skin and make the itching worse. Use mild soap and be sure to rinse it off well and towel off lightly. Then slather on an unscented moisturizer — some scents can cause irritation.
Try an occasional warm oatmeal bath. (You can buy oatmeal bath preparations in drugstores.) Wear loose cotton clothing and avoid going out in the heat of the day, since heat can intensify the itching.
Is it common to get itchy bumps on your abdomen?
Up to 1 percent of pregnant women develop a condition characterized by itchy, red bumps and larger patches of a hive-like rash on their bellies. This is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) or polymorphic eruption of pregnancy.
PUPPP usually begins in the third trimester and is more common among women carrying twins and those having their first baby. The eruptions usually show up first on the abdomen around or in stretch marks (if you have any) and may spread to your thighs, buttocks, and arms. PUPPP is harmless for you and your baby, but it can itch like crazy!
Your doctor or midwife will want to see you for a diagnosis and will probably prescribe a topical ointment to give you some relief. She may also recommend an antihistamine. In severe cases, you may need a course of oral steroids.
PUPPP usually disappears within a few days after delivery, although it sometimes persists for several weeks. (In rare cases, it may even begin after you give birth.) Fortunately, it seldom appears again in subsequent pregnancies.
Even more rare than PUPPP is a skin condition called prurigo of pregnancy (or papular eruptions of pregnancy), which is characterized by many tiny bumps that may look like bug bites. These eruptions can occur anywhere on your body, but you're most likely to get them on your hands, feet, arms, and legs.
Although the eruptions can be itchy and annoying, prurigo of pregnancy appears to pose no risk to your baby. This condition generally starts around the beginning of the third trimester and may last for up to three months after you give birth.
In very rare cases, a pregnant woman will develop very itchy eruptions that start out like hives and then turn into large blistering lesions. This rash is called pemphigoid gestationis (or herpes gestationis, although it has nothing to do with herpes virus). The eruptions often start on the abdomen and spread to the arms and legs.
This condition is considered more serious than PUPPP because it may be associated with an increased risk for preterm delivery and fetal growth problems. It usually begins in the second or third trimester, but it can start anytime — even in the first week or two after you have your baby.
Pemphigoid gestationis can come and go throughout pregnancy, and it often flares up after delivery as well. It usually happens again in subsequent pregnancies and tends to be more severe.
Let your caregiver know if you develop any kind of rash during pregnancy. Whether or not the rash is related to your pregnancy, it's a good idea to have your caregiver evaluate it and recommend appropriate treatment or refer you to a dermatologist.
Severe itchiness in the second or, more commonly, in the third trimester can be a sign of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, a liver problem that affects less than 1 percent of pregnant women in the United States.
When bile doesn't flow normally in the small ducts of your liver, bile salts accumulate in your skin and make you itch all over. The itching can be quite intense. The condition itself doesn't cause a rash, but you may end up with red, irritated skin with little cuts in areas where you're scratching a lot.
Call your doctor or midwife immediately if you think you have cholestasis because it may spell trouble for your baby. Your caregiver will do blood tests to check your liver as well as ultrasounds and fetal heart monitoring to check on your baby.
Depending on your health and your baby's condition, you may be induced before your due date. This problem goes away after you have your baby, although you may get it again with your next pregnancy.
No comments:
Post a Comment