Itching all over.. 25 weeks pregnant

[squashie34]

Just wondering if anyone has had this in pregnancy? started a few days ago with itching on and off and I have got dry skin that I've tried to moisturise.

However today the itching is terrible, I can't stop! I know you have to take special notice of itchy hands and feet according to my midwife but they're probably the only places I'm not actually itching! No rash except when I scratch it raw! Any suggestions on how to ease the itching?

Thank you! ☺️

Everything was fine in the long run but do call, I was in for almost two weeks. Even if it is serious it’s very treatable.

Please call as PPs have advised and ask to be tested for ICP (obstetric cholastasis).

Lots of healthcare professionals seem to think it only makes hands and feet itchy- this is not correct. Infact hands and feet were the only parts of me that didn't itch when I had it!

I developed itchy legs during pregnancy, turned out to be an underactive thyroid. Easily treated with meds, but must be treated ASAP. As others have said, pls seek medical advice.

@highinthehills big girl pants firmly on, called them labour ward triage and they told me to come straight in. Just in the waiting room now to be seen, frightening being in here without the OH 😕 thanks so much ladies for your advice x

Well done!

Hope you don't have to wait too soon to be seen.

Glad you're being seen.

I had really itchy skin when pregnant due to eczema flaring and GD (it's a rare thing with GD I think the eczema and GD combined is what did it)

All fine in the end but I was closely monitored.

It may be something minor like skin stretching but better safe...

Blood tests have come back and doctor has diagnosed Cholestasis 🙁 got to see how high the bile acids are to see if I need medication but that won't come back until tomorrow so letting me go home with some piriton now and will contact me tomorrow.

Will have regular monitoring and consultant talked about early induction due to the risk of still birth. This has petrified me as I already have pregnancy anxiety and now I'm convinced that this is it 😢 how increased is the still birth risk does anyone know?

Hi, I had ICP (cholastasis) from around 25 weeks too, please try not to worry although that's easier said than done!

The risk of any harm to your baby if you are diagnosed, regularly tested/ monitored, on medication to lower your bile acids and delivered by 38 weeks is not any more than in a non- ICP pregnancy.

It's un- diagnosed and untreated ICP that can be an issue. There is also evidence of risk if pregnancy goes beyond 38 weeks hence the plan to deliver baby a bit early.

Do have a look at the ICP support group www.icpsupport.org I found it so helpful in terms of info and support.

Take care xxx

Glad you went in . Try and get some rest now

@MilkNoSugars thank you so much for all this I'll have a look at that site tomorrow. The midwife had just thrown all these appointment dates at me for scans, appointments at feral well-being etc and I just burst into tears,, feels so much to take in when I just expected an anti histamine and to be sent on my way- I just have this fear I'm going to lose my baby and still 3 months to go 😔

i have had all over in all 3 pregnancies. Sympathise. Drives you totally insane. It’s why I am awake just now, and why my skin is horrendously scabby. If it’s not on your palms or the soles of your feet (everywhere but with me) then chances are your midwife / gp won’t even test for OC. Worth a call anyway though.

It’s dry skin that is being stretched too much. Just try not to get too hot as that seems to
make it worse, and wear loose fitting clothes.

I had OC diagnosed around 34 weeks but had it from around d 32. My trust does not routinely deliver early but I was booked in for an induction on my due date. They brought it forward a week due to a slight increase in my blood pressure. I was monitored 3 times a week minimum and in the week before my induction I was in everyday to go on the monitor.

I got through so much e45, that I kept in the fridge. I did get it on my hands and feet but my midwife said it can occur all over the body. I'm lucky I guess, it is apparently more common in south Asian women and theres a massive pakistani community here so the midwife didnt even blink an eye when I mentioned itching as she'd seen it so much.

You need to get it checked by your midwife in case it's something worse, but I had this and it was PUPPS - quite harmless but drove me mad. My saviour was a soap called Grandpa's Pine Tar that someone on here recommended to me. The relief was instant!

Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap 92 g https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001TO3NA/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_W29OEbNRJ5G9E

So glad you made the call and went in. Fingers crossed the results come back ok. In pregnancy and when my ds were babies I found all the Drs and midwives took my concerns very seriously and never made me feel like I was wasting their time. There is an even bigger call at the moment for people to use the NHS if they are concerned as they are finding people are waiting and then presenting with much more serious conditions rather than dealing with the conditions before they get serious.

@FormerlyFrikadela01 did you manage to give birth ok? Did they induce you early and were they concerned about the stillborn side? I'm hoping the appointment at the fetal well-being next week will help me feel a little better about it as now I'm just a ball of anxiety again 😣

OP in my 2nd pregnancy i had very mild itching that mostly was on my legs. Only in hands and feet after a warm bath.

My midwife wouldnt listen. So i sat in the office until they gave me a blood test.

4 days later she called me and told me to get to the hospital asap. I was 37 weeks and indeed I had obstetric cholestasis (sp?) Which increases risk of still birth.

Make them listen.

Ah crap sorry OP. For some reason only 3 replies showed when i replied!

Glad you've been seen and tested.

Has this with both my children. Sooo itchy.

With the first no one really took notice until the week before I was due. Why haven’t you had this and that, you shouldn’t be going to term etc
Had a sweep that day and baby came that night.

So second time I was more clued up, and had an induction.

Glad your team sound like they know what they’re doing and good luck with your pregnancy!

Please don't worry, I had this too and it can be a bit scary, but stats say as soon as it's detected and managed/monitored, risks of stillbirth are no higher than normal. Depends on levels as to when you'll be induced, but all the monitoring is reassuring xx

Thank you @Beth804 I really needed to hear that ☺️ did they induce you early or anything? The doctor did say something about the stillbirth risk being right at the end so 'we whip baby out a little earlier' were his words.

Yes I was induced at 37+3 but she wasn't ready to arrive so took a few days! My levels weren't too bad, but then they went up quite quickly about 37 weeks so they moved the date forward. You'll be fine! ☺️ I'm currently 23 weeks with twins, so just waiting for it to set in over the next couple of months! They said it could be a bit earlier with twins! X

Hi
I had this in 2 pregnancies - but only diagnosed in my last. Incompetent person only did liver function not bile acids in my other pregnancy and I obv knew no better. I am sure I had it both times as symptoms were identical. In the diagnosed pregnancy I was diagnosed at 36 weeks but had it from 32. (Didn't think to call as symptoms were same as previous pregnancy where it was "ruled out"). My bike salts were well above 100 so I was put on urso but it didn't change my numbers and I was scheduled for induction at 37 weeks, but they gave me a sweep which brought on labour so I never got properly induced. My non-diagnosed pregnancy went to 40 weeks and I had a very healthy 9lb boy, no issues with him at all luckily.
They did check the size of my 37 weeker before doing the sweep - they were looking for baby to be around 6lb or so before evicting her. She was 7lb and was also fine despite being chucked out early.

Good luck x

It sounds like your hospital have been great in diagnosing you so quickly and getting you scheduled in for appointments and tests.

Like pp my bile acids were high (over 100) so I was put on a drug called urso which brought them down. I was also given a cream with menthol in it to help the itching and a vitamin (can't remember which). Blood tests 2/3 times a week, fetal monitoring of baby and appointments with a consultant. I felt very looked after and reassured!

The bile acid levels did creep up even when we upped the urso dosage to the max so I was induced at 35 weeks - very quick labour and delivery of my 8lb baby my Dr said a quick labour is common in ICP pregnancies 🙌🏻

I'm so glad you went in last night to get checked out, I can well imagine it felt scary especially being the middle of the night and without your OH. the good thing now is that they/you are aware of the problem and so it can be monitored and managed.

I'm afraid I don't know anything about obstetric choleostasis, but it's always better to have things known than unknown, in my opinion. You are in the best possible hands and they will be able to work out best plan of action.

On the induction side of things, I was induced with both my previous pregnancies at 38wks (DC1 for pre-eclampsia and DC2 for reduced fetal movement) and induction was absolutely fine, both no harder than I imagine a spontaneous labour to have been. I chose to have an epidural with dc1 but dc2 was just Gas and air.

I am now 24wk with DC3 and although hoping this one will be a spontaneous labour, I'm not worried if it does end up as another induction. I had heard negative things about induction previously, but anecdotally both my experiences were fine. Sometimes I think there is an element of women only talking about the bad experiences rather than the positive ones.

@MilkNoSugars I guess a fast labour to get them out is one plus side to this then! 🙈 was your little one ok being born at 35 weeks- any extra intervention needed/visit to nicu? I know 'term' is considered 37 weeks isn't it but just wondered what the risks are if they have to come earlier than that.