Itching in pregnancy: causes and natural remedies for the skin of pregnant women
Itching in pregnancy is a rather common annoyance: according to statistics it affects one in five pregnant women, usually starting from the third trimester. The causes of itching can be different and usually it is a physiological condition with no particular consequences. In some cases, however, much rarer, itching in pregnancy can indicate more serious problems, such as cholestasis gravidarum, and usually occurs together with other symptoms such as skin rashes.
Itching during pregnancy mainly affects the skin of the abdomen, but there are many pregnant women who suffer from intimate itching, itchy legs, feet or palms. This may be a transient manifestation, which disappears from alone in a short time, or persistent, which in some cases lasts even after childbirth.
The physical hormonal changes that the female body undergoes during pregnancy can be one of the main causes, from the first to the last week of pregnancy. The skin is inevitably subjected to changes, varying its extension and elasticity, while hormones cause upheavals of the internal equilibrium which the skin can be affected by.
Let's take a closer look at all the possible causes of itching in pregnancy, when and where it occurs most frequently, when it is good to worry and what are the best natural remedies to relieve it. But first - since the well-being of your skin also depends on your diet - here is a video on which foods are best avoided during pregnancy for your sake and the future baby:
What are the causes of itching in pregnancy? When does it occur?
In most cases, pruritus in pregnancy occurs around the third trimester, and then by the 28th week. In this period, in fact, the skin begins to stretch, stretch and dry out due to the increase in the volume of the belly. The itching, consequently, manifests itself as one of the main symptoms of this change aimed at better hosting the future baby who it grows inside you The itch tends to be located on the belly, but it is not uncommon - in these cases - to also affect the thighs and hips.
On the other hand, during the last months of pregnancy the skin of the pregnant woman is put to the test due to the increase in the volume of the belly: it will be precisely this stress that causes stretching, loss of elasticity and future stretch marks. Itching is a secondary and symptomatic effect of this "tear".
Also starting from the twenty-eighth week, itching can be caused - in addition to physical changes - also by hormonal changes, and in particular by a kind of progesterone intolerance. Finally, in rarer cases, it may be due to the "onset of a disease such as" management diabetes ", which occurs as early as the second trimester and which must be treated so as not to damage the newborn.
On the other hand, when itching occurs during the first months of pregnancy, the causes must be sought above all in the aforementioned physical and hormonal changes taking place, but also in food intolerances and dermatological problems such as hives. Your doctor will certainly know the causes.
If the skin of the belly is the preferred target of itching due to the changes in extent it undergoes, this disorder can also occur on the skin of other areas of interest to the increase in volume, such as breasts and thighs. It is not uncommon, however, also the intimate itching that affects the genital area: the causes, in these cases, are to be sought in possible infections or in the presence of mycosis.
When to worry? Itching in pregnancy and cholestasis in pregnancy
While in most cases the itching in pregnancy is physiological and risk-free for you and the baby, in rare cases it can be a symptom of a pathological condition that could lead to complications before, during or after delivery. If the itching is intense, affects parts of the body other than the abdomen and is accompanied by the presence of skin rashes, it will be good to contact your doctor immediately.
The most common pathology linked to itching in pregnant women (which still affects only 1-2% of pregnant women) is cholestasis of pregnancy. Cholestasis is generally accompanied by very intense itching in the legs, feet and palms of the hands and is caused by liver problems.
Cholestasis of pregnancy usually occurs at the end of the second trimester or at the beginning of the third. This pathology can lead to serious complications for the newborn and it is therefore necessary to monitor the pregnancy and plan the delivery as early as the 37th week.
How to relieve itching in pregnancy? Natural remedies
Itching in pregnancy, when it is physiological and not due to specific pathologies, can be relieved with very simple but very helpful natural remedies. From the first months of pregnancy, you can practice massages on the belly with natural oils such as sweet almond or wheat germ oil, or in any case oils rich in vitamin E, a panacea to preserve the elasticity of your skin and moisturize it.
Among the other recommended natural remedies there are compresses based on honey and cinnamon powder, or baths with oat flour or corn starch, which perform an effective soothing action.
Also be careful to take care of your diet: always remember to hydrate yourself sufficiently, eliminate foods that are too salty, spicy or fatty, favoring all those foods that do not overload the liver and kidneys.
