What causes itchy breasts during pregnancy?

Pregnant women sometimes feel itchy breasts during pregnancy. This may be due to prurigo gravidarum caused by endocrine disorders, or it may be caused by nipple eczema or dry skin. Therefore, don’t worry too much when your breasts are itchy. Change your underwear frequently and keep your skin dry.

1. Prurigo during pregnancy.

Itchy nipples of pregnant women may be caused by prurigo gestationis, which can be clinically divided into early-onset and late-onset types. Although the cause of prurigo gestationis unknown, studies have shown that it may be related to endocrine disorders. If the nipples of pregnant women itch in the 3rd to 4th month of pregnancy, and light red or normal skin-colored papules the size of mung beans appear around the nipples, and the itching is severe at night, please be sure to be alert to whether it is early-onset prurigo gestationis at work; and if the nipples of pregnant women itch in the last two months of pregnancy, especially within two weeks before delivery, and the itching is not only in the nipples, but also in other places, then please pay attention to the possibility of late-onset prurigo gestationis.

2. Nipple itching caused by dry skin.

Dry skin can also easily cause nipple itching, which is mostly related to the weather.

3. Nipple eczema.

The last one may be nipple eczema. Many people may not have heard of nipple eczema, but this may also be the reason why pregnant women have itchy nipples. In fact, nipple eczema is a special type of eczema. It is named because it is confined to the nipple. The affected area is often severely itchy and unbearable.

It can be seen that there are many reasons why pregnant women have itchy nipples, but if you don’t know why pregnant women have itchy nipples, it will cause a huge psychological burden. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to understand the issue of itchy nipples in pregnant women.

What exactly is itchy nipples?

1. Adolescent girls have just begun to develop, and their breasts begin to develop rapidly. Of course, their nipples also need to grow larger. If you do not pay enough attention to local hygiene at this time, it may cause nipple itching, because the increase in secretions provides conditions for the growth of various bacteria. Using poor shower gels, soaps and bra fabrics, etc., may cause dryness and peeling, resulting in unbearable nipple itching.

2. Nipple itching may also occur in the later stages of pregnancy, which is a very normal phenomenon. The nipples may also swell, but these are all normal. Just wipe them frequently with a hot towel and pay attention to local hygiene.

3. Due to the material of the underwear or exercise, the nipple area may sometimes be rubbed and cause eczema. Nipple eczema is a common skin disease that can occur in breastfeeding women and teenage girls, causing nipple itching.

Breast care measures:

1. Maintain a normal weight: Obesity is a high risk factor for breast cancer. The intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods, especially fried foods, should be reduced as much as possible.

2. Use hormone drugs with caution: Some women take hormone drugs to make their breasts fuller, which results in endocrine disorders, increasing the risk of breast cancer.

3. Maintain a good mood: Emotions such as depression and tension can cause an increase in the level of fat emboli. It is very important for breast health to maintain an optimistic and relaxed attitude and reduce the intake of stimulating drinks such as tobacco, alcohol, and coffee.

4. Let nature take its course and be a mother: Surveys show that among breast cancer patients, the rates of impaired sexual function, unmarried women at advanced age, first-time mothers at advanced age, and widows are significantly higher than those of other groups. Because it is difficult for this group of people to maintain normal hormone levels, even if they give birth but rarely breastfeed or never breastfeed, it is easy for them to have milk accumulation in the breasts, which significantly increases the risk of breast cancer.

The above are common causes of nipple itching, but there are other reasons that cause nipple itching. In order to avoid this situation, we must pay more attention to protecting our breasts in daily life.