Itching at 33 weeks!

[Bkpage03]

Please help! Has anyone ever experienced horrible itching in third trimester? I am ridiculously itchy and starting to break the skin now!

Yup I did. Call your midwife in morning, it can be start of obstetric cholestatis. They will run some tests and prob give antihistamines.

I rang midwife but having trouble with trying to contact them so am going to ring doctors tomorrow morning! I don’t have any other symptoms of that other than itching!

Me and I had obstetric cholestasis. Agree with pp as OC can be serious, definitely get checked. Could just be skin stretching or hormones etc but better to make sure.

I’ll call docs tomorrow morning! I’m absolutely terrified that they’ll want to induce baby early. Is it something they can control without bringing birth forward?

My friend had this, can be very serious, good luck with the doctor tomorrow xx

You can have medication but my hospital insist on inducing at 37 weeks. Hopefully it's not OC though!!

Thanks everyone! It’s driving me round the bend... only really happens later in the evening or when I’m hot! I hope it’s not OC, I really do!

Yes. I'm 39+1 with my second and have had it both pregnancies. It is particularly common on the bump to Feel Itchy all the time and is the result of your skin stretching. I had nights where I had to lie on my hands to
Stop myself scratching my skin raw. Try and think of something else and distract yourself as it doesn't last forever xx

The funny thing is, my belly isn’t itchy! My ankles, feet, bottom of my legs, my arms and tops of my hands are so so itchy! The skin on my ankles is now raw! X

Bkpage03, another person here who had OC in pregnancy. Aloe Vera gel and cold wraps (I bought some things called 'chillow pillow' targeted at women having hot flushes, they were gel filled and you added cold water, I used to wrap my feet in them, sheer bliss) kept me sane until DD was delivered at 37+2.
The fact that the bump isn't itchy makes it very likely to be OC. They should test for raised bile salts.

Oldbirdy, was you induced because of it?! I don’t want to be induced so am worried about going to the doctors! It’s only the evenings where it creeps up on me. The minute i scratch myself, that’s when it starts! X

Bkpage03 if it is OC they will most likely, depending on the severity, recommend early induction (37 to 38 weeks). You can of course refuse. Be aware the reason they do this is because of increased stillbirth risk. The risk is, I understand, thought to correspond to your bile salt levels so best to be tested and make an informed choice.

It may of course be something else. But please get checked out.

Bkpage: I wasn't exactly induced- I had a sweep which triggered labour - but I would have been induced at 37+4 if the sweep hadn't worked.
OC sadly carries a risk of still birth if you go full term. It's one of those situations where a healthy baby safely delivered is the ultimate goal, in precedence to birth plans. Fwiw I was induced with another labour and it was manageable.

How did you get on OP?

I've been unbearably itchy since 30 weeks, mostly legs and upper arms, and it's significantly worse at night to the extent that I can't sleep and I lie awake till 4am crying because I'm so frustrated and exhausted. The midwife's first thought was that it was OC but they tested my blood and I don't have it. So they have now said it's probably just hormones or a temporary allergy caused by pregnancy, and have told me to moisturise with aqueous cream and get rid of potential triggers.

I've tried everything to get rid of the itching - bought non-bio detergent, stopped using laundry softener, stopped using scented moisturisers and shower gel - nothing has worked. Even the aqueous cream isn't helping. However my DH has pointed out that I'm more itchy after I've showered even if I've only used water. My skin has become really dry so perhaps the water is washing away what little natural oil is on my skin. So I've started keeping my body dry and washing only the essential bits with the handheld shower. It's gross not having a proper shower for days/weeks on end but it has made the itching subside to the point where I can sleep!

I had OC and was in for induced at 37weeks.

It does sound just like mine, worse in the evenings and at night. the backs of my hands were raw, and my gosh my ankles and feet by 36weeks; scratching didn't even reach the itch.

If it is OC they will want to try and get you to as close to 37weeks as they can without harm to you or baby.
At 37weeks gestation baby is not classed as prem, and we were home the day after dance was born.

Thanks all. Went to the docs & I had slightly abnormal bloods come back. They’ve prescribed antihistamines & some cream for the time being. Need to go to the hospital on Wednesday for further bloods to monitor it! X

Have had it twice and both babies born at 37 weeks because of it.14 weeks pregnant now and waiting for that itching to start again 😄

Had OC with my 1st and have it again now. Itching is my only symptom. Night time is the worse. They will make you have your baby slightly earlier