What causes itching in late pregnancy?

Female friends will experience a lot of discomfort after becoming pregnant. For example, there will be symptoms of morning sickness in the early stages of pregnancy. In the late stages of pregnancy, as the fetus continues to grow, many pregnant women will have symptoms of back pain. Some pregnant women will experience edema, and some will also experience itching. So what is causing the itching in the late stages of pregnancy? It is mainly caused by the growth of the fetus which stretches the skin.

Some pregnant women will experience itchy abdominal skin in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. This is because the enlarged uterus causes the abdominal wall skin and fat tissue to overstretch, and the abdominal nerve endings become sensitive, resulting in some itching.

If it is just mild itching in the abdomen, it is not a big problem. However, if the itching in the abdomen keeps getting worse and unbearable, and then systemic skin itching occurs, especially if it develops to the limbs and the soles of the hands and feet (excluding ringworm between the fingers and toes), then it needs to be taken seriously, as this may be intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. The cause of this disease is still not very clear. It may be related to the metabolism disorder of bilirubin, which can be confirmed by liver function tests.

The impact of this disease on pregnant women is still small, but it is quite harmful to the baby. The increase in total bile acid may stimulate uterine contraction and lead to premature birth of the fetus; or it may be deposited in the intervillous spaces of the placenta and cause fetal intrauterine hypoxia and death and neonatal asphyxia. This disease is hereditary (family history) and recurrent, and will reappear in the second or third child. Therefore, pregnant women must attach importance to regular prenatal examinations, strengthen monitoring of fetal heart rate and fetal movement, receive treatment in a timely manner, and terminate the pregnancy early if necessary.

When pregnant women experience itching in the late stages of pregnancy, it can cause great harm to the baby. If it is mild, it can be treated under the guidance of a doctor, but if it is serious, it should be taken seriously and the development and heart rate of the fetus should be observed at all times.