Itchy-whats this mean?

[mum2oliver]

Im 34 weeks and just starting to itch all over but only in the evenings.

get your bloods checked - just in case it's your liver playing up - but it could just be pesky hormones - but better to be safe

Just had bloods but dont suppose that will tell.Will I have to have a specific test?

it is a liver function test. don;t think it is routinely tested for..i;d call the midwife tomorrow and ask ....

Obstetric Cholestasis

Diagnosis

Obstetric cholestasis can be confirmed by blood tests called liver function tests (LFTs) and serum bile acid test.

The most sensitive test involves measuring serum bile acids. Usually the level of bile acids in your blood is raised before the liver function tests can detect any changes. If the tests are within normal limits and you carry on itching, it is important that the tests are repeated. A serum bile acid test is not widely available. Your doctor may send a sample to a specialist centre for diagnosis.

If you have obstetric cholestasis it is important to have a blood test to check how your blood is clotting before the birth as you may need extra vitamin K.

A lack of vitamin K may affect your blood?s clotting mechanism and increase blood loss during the birth.

Your pregnancy may involve having regular tests to monitor your baby?s heartbeat over a set period of time (cardiotocography), ultrasound scans and blood tests. Some women have to stay in hospital to make sure that the baby is progressing well.

CUT AND PASTED THIS !

I had this exact problem with my dd, i had a blood test yes it is a specific test which they send off to birmingham to see if there is to much of something in your blood, it is to do with your liver, don't panic mine came back fine

Thats it they check your Bile levels, go to your doctor or midwife.

There's a basic liver function test (LFT)they will do first which tests your ALT/SGPT levels. Your GP can do this and the results can be back quite quickly. If they're high (over 40 iirc) then they will do the serum bile acid tests which take longer and have to go to Birmingham.

Do you have a rash? Is the itching worse on your hands and feet? If it isn't, it could be that you have some other minor infection that affects your liver function but isn't OC. That's what mine turned out to be. Don't scare yourself half to death googling for obstetric cholostasis. (I am speaking from experience here )

Go get tested tomorrow - put your mind at rest. You can take piriton if it's really bothering you but keeping cool and not scratching (hard I know) both help

I had this, it disappeared as soon as baby was born, but drove me insane. Calamine lotion and cotton clothes helped. Good luck

i suffered from oc terribly 2 years ago due to negligance of a doctor. i was told it was dermatitis and my blood was not sent off to be tested. at home i became so sick finally when i got to hospital i learned i had oc. my baby was then in severe stress so i was induced. the bio chmical was up to 800 i then broke out in purple rings on my body. i was still itching so bad that i could not hold my baby. this went on for months and i suffered physically and mentally. how a doctor could have been so careless is beyond me. ben is 2 now and very healthy. thoughts of another preg scares me. did anyone suffer like me?

I am surprised how often these seems to be coming up at the moment and how few people know about it. Babies can be stillborn if you have this and aren't checked for it. Midwives seem a bit slack at checking for this too. The only cure is for the baby to be delivered.

I used to itch a lot, but only from dry skin. If I used lots of heavy moisturiser (don't generally need any), I was fine.

I do know people who've suffered with oc, including one who had it with a first baby, but not her second.