Itching is quite common in pregnant women, but itchy legs during pregnancy can be a symptom of a serious condition.
Itchy feet during pregnancy often cause discomfort in the feet and hands, especially at night. Unlike the itch that is associated with the usual stretching skin during pregnancy, this can affect the liver or even the little angel's health.
If the pregnant mother only has itchy skin, there is nothing to worry about. However, when feeling itchy hands and feet in the third trimester are accompanied by unusual symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fatigue and loss of appetite, this may not be just the case. skin problems.
A common complication of itchy legs during pregnancy is cholestasis , a weakening of digestive juices from the liver. It is often accompanied by dark and light colored stools in the urine. Excess substance in the blood can be toxic to the baby, increase the risk of premature birth or inhalation of the amniotic fluid , leading to difficulty breathing at birth or even worse death.
In addition, cholestasis can cause pregnant mothers to poorly absorb vitamins A, D, E and K (fat-soluble vitamins), but this situation will be overcome after giving birth. Cholestatic disease also brings the risk of pregnant mothers having dangerous complications, high probability of recurrence in the next pregnancy.
Tension areas during pregnancy, such as the abdomen, thighs, and feet, will become itchy without causing too much trouble. However, such cholestasis can occur if a pregnant woman feels itching with severe itching on her palms, dark urine, pale stools, yellowing of the skin and eyes.
The cause of cholestasis in pregnancy is not clear, but experts suspect it is due to the hormonal changes that lead to bile fluid accumulating, rather than flowing into the intestines from the liver. Bile is produced in the liver, but if its flow to the intestines is blocked, the fluid can re-enter the bloodstream and cause unusual symptoms such as an itchy leg. In addition, this condition can also be caused by a number of genetic factors.
To diagnose cholestasis, your doctor will order a blood test. In addition, you can also overcome the itching with a number of methods below:
A gentle lotion can help relieve itching. Some oral medications may not be safe to use to treat itching during pregnancy. You should use products like lotion containing calamine or other well-proven benign ingredients.
Hypertension during pregnancy can impair the absorption of certain nutrients. Therefore, you should take additional medications such as vitamin K , which is necessary for the function of blood clotting.
Pregnant mothers may be urged to deliver when the fetus is old enough (37 weeks) if the itching is severe. However, in case the baby's lungs and other functions are still developing normally and there are no bad signs, the doctor will consider whether to urge birth or not?
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