It?s perfectly normal and common for pregnant women to experience some sort of itching as their bellies?and other body parts?expand, but not all pregnancy itchiness is created equal.
I remember the first time I said to my husband, ?I feel itchy.? It was a weeknight, and I felt a strange and distinct urge to scratch at the palms of my hands for most of the day. The same sensation returned the following morning and, within days, had spread to my legs and feet.
I made an appointment with my OB/GYN. She ordered blood tests and, within days, we had a diagnosis: I was suffering from obstetric cholestasis. I was seven months pregnant and had weeks of constant scratching ahead.
Sleep was hard to come by. I found myself taking cold showers several times a day and using cream to cool off the itchiness. It felt like I was being bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes in the dead of summer. What is obstetric cholestasis"
Obstetric cholestasis is a pregnancy-specific liver disorder, explains Nancy Kent, associate head of maternal fetal medicine at BC Women?s Hospital and Health Centre. This rare condition occurs in only 0.1 to two percent of pregnancies worldwide. It typically develops later in pregnancy, but in rare cases, it can present as early as the first trimester. In genetically predisposed women, the increase in hormones during pregnancy triggers a problem where bile acid transfers from the liver to the blood.
The problem is likely exacerbated because the liver is working extra har...