Itchy rash, any ideas ?

[suis]

In the last 2 days I've developed a rash on the back of my right hand.

It's tiny red bumps which are itchy and spread from the outside edge, across my knuckles and are now spreading up my fingers. I don't seem to have them anywhere else.

I'm not aware of handling anything odd, or anything like that, and though I have had the runs today, that's not been unusual for me while pregnant.

Should I be calling the MW tomorrow, or is it not something to worry about ?

IMO, a new rash like that should be checked. You're on the Feb thread aren't you, so quite far on? It's probably absolutely fine but best to get obstretric choleestasis ruled out I reckon. There are loads of other reasons for rashes, see here but it does say get itching checked out in the 3rd timester.

strange i had something similar which is now everywhere turns out it stress related eczma

It could be pompholyx eczema. I've never had eczema before, but it's what I developed at about 16 weeks. It's tiny little blisters that itch like crazy and can get stingy too. You only get them on your hands, and sometimes on your feet (I had them on hands and feet ). It's caused by a combination of dry skin, stess and the general bodily weirdness of pregnancy (or so I'm told).

It's worth getting it checked out by your GP just to be sure (the MW might not know what it is if it's not specifically a pg symptom), but if that is what it is then it's nothing to worry about and I'm told it goes once the baby arrives. Get the Dr to prescribe you Eumovate for when it's really itchy and you can't stand it, and Aqueous cream for keeping your hands nice and moist. If it's keeping you awake at night itching then they can also give you some Piriton to help you off to sleep.

In the meantime, keep your hands nice and moist with some hand cream/moisturiser, try not to wash them too often, and try not to go too made with the itching! Keeping your hands cool should also help.

I had this when pg with DS2 and I had PUPPP with DS1 - this is the best site I've found for general pregnancy itch info. I used eurax when pg which my midwife said was fine (but check with yours or a pharmacist first). With the PUPPP I also used a mild hydrocortisone which helped a bit.

The rash on my hands with DS2 I linked to washing up and hand soap which I'd used previously with no problem - pregnancy made me hypersensitive to something in them. I used Dove hand soap and used rubber gloves for washing up - after I had DS2 it went away.

To put your mind at ease, the 'serious' itching problem in pregnancy, obstetric cholestasis, is not generally accompanied by a rash. But do tell your midwife about it and she'll do the blood test to be sure.

ps, both types of rash I had were made worse by moisturising (even the no-fragrance aqueous cream) so if you try that and it irritates it then obviously stop using it.

I had this before Christmas (I'm 31 weeks pg) when my hands got really dry because of the cold. It started at the back of my hands and wrists as well. I bought a cheap hand cream from Boots and it made it worse.
Then it went away when I stopped the cream.
Then my hands went dry again recently and I put some "vaseline intensive care" on my hands and wrists at night, and my god it got bad.
I stopped the cream again, but used "dove night" instead and it's all gone away.
Thank god as it is infuriating.
It seems to come and go but it's exactly the same as you describe and at exactly the same place.
I'm convinced the particular creams I used caused it or worsened it.

yes, I've just noticed OC doesn't usually have a rash....didn't want to worry you!

(I had a non itchy rash on my bump a few weeks ago, but googling 'non itchy rash in pregnancy' only brought up loads of pages about syphillis, which I'm pretty sure I haven't got - sometimes the internet is a dangerous thing)

Finally showed the rash to the midwife at this eve's ante natal class. She says it's nothing to worry about, just hormonal changes making me more sensitive to skin irritations than usual... not that I am usually pront to them at all, but it was good to be told it was nothing nasty.

Thank you very much to everyone for your advice and comments. It stopped me being overly panicky about something that turns out to be nothing.