39 weeks severe itching!

[readybabyb]

I’m 39 weeks pregnant and for the last few days been itching all over my body like crazy, it’s driving me mad! No rash or hives just feel itchy all over.

Had blood test in case it was my liver but thankfully that came back all clear. Has anyone else experienced this? What’s causing it? And how can I make it stop? 😫

Have you taken an antihistamine?

Yeah I had this! Had a thread about it.
About the only thing I could find was E45 itch relief cream, which helped a bit.

Purpural pruritus of pregnancy... PUPPS... Google it.. I had it with my 1st child... Steroid creams were the only thing that helped.. And cool showers... It was awful but went eventually and didn't come back with 2 later pregnancies... Have you been to the Dr?

Sorry I noticed that you didn't have hives.. I did and they were severe... Just ignore me! Good luck

If you have itchy palms of your hands and/or soles of feet you need to get checked as it can indicate a liver condition.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/itching-obstetric-cholestasis-pregnant/

Oh just read you've had the blood test. Sorry!

Obstetric cholestasis doesn't only cause itchy hands and feet - I had slight generalised itching everywhere. It wasn't awful but my bile salt levels were still significantly elevated. I responded well to treatment but ended up being induced at 38 weeks due to the condition.

Please seek further medical advice regarding this, you should be able to access midwifery care at the weekend - even if it's via your local hospital.

Just seen you've had the blood test done for it, it can take a while for it to show on bloods despite having the symptoms, please ask for your bloods to be checked again if the itching persists.

Thank you all. The itching is still going on 😫 I’ll go ask tomorrow for the blood test to be repeated just in case.

I was going to say PUPPS too. I had that around this time into my pregnancy and for a few weeks post birth. Soooooo itchy. But, I had hives with it so not sure it could be that. Lush Dream Cream was the only thing that cooled it for me.

Have you tried an oat bath? It’s recommended for itching. I was prescribed antihistamine in my last pregnancy as I was ready to tear my skin off!

Currently 15 weeks and super excited for that again!

Low iron makes me itchy. Skin stretching can be very itchy too. I was really itchy in my first pregnancy, being under a shower was the only thing that helped sometimes. Also try aveeno cream, I think there's a specific anti itch one but the generic one would do.

I had a similar condition in my first pregnancy for the final 4 weeks before delivery but it was just the bump itself that was extremely itchy. They did my blood tests for any possible liver conditions but all came out clear. Tried everything from body lotions to Bio-Oil... i was so desperate one night that I even put the cooking oil on my bump but the itch didn't go away. It disappeared magically soon after my delivery. Dont worry about it.