Rash - any advice?

[Pumpkin20]

I'm 19 wks and I've got a very itchy rash accross my breasts which has now spread up my neck, down my tum and accross my back. Is this a pg thing? Small, red itchy spots. I've not been using any new products or eaten anything different. I've not had any other symptoms or been in contact with anyone with similar symptoms. My pg books mention that itchy hands and feet can be a problem, but my hands and feet are unaffected.

I've made an appointment with my GP but in the meantime, has anyone else suffered similar? Does anyone have any advice?

Many, many thanks,

Pumpkin x

Hi Pumpkin - sounds similar to something I had but could be any number of things. The reassuring thing for you is that 'dangerous' itching in pregnancy is caused by obstetric cholestasis but this is itching without a rash so it's unlikely to be that (though you'll probably have the test for it now). What I had was PUPPP (sometimes called PEP) and although maddening it's not dangerous and most women can take piriton (antihistamine) which helps, I couldn't because I'm allergic but I did use Eurax with some effectiveness and on the really bad bits, hyrdrocortisone cream. Babycentre has a good summary for itching here .

Hope this helps, you're definitely doing the right thing going to the GP. Also, with my itching, it got really bad and I couldn't actually sleep and I started tearing my skin so they agreed to induce just before my due date - just a thought if you get to the point where you need an end point psychologically. Feel free to email me if it does turn out to be PUPPP, my MN name at yahoo dot com - I've got quite a few resources I found that helped.

Hello Pumpkin20, I am just going to echo all that liquidclocks has said! I have had PUPP during my 1st and 3rd pregnancies, and am just starting with it now in my 4th. Try and nip it in the bud, like liquidclocks I ended up making myself bleed at night scratching it. I had a combination of atarax antihistamine and prednisolone steroid tablets. Unfortunately the only thing that got rid of it was giving birth! Hope you get some relief.