I am 35 weeks into pregnancy and have a really itchy rash on the belly?
Only a visit to your doctor can give you a diagnosis, but consider a condition called PUPPP (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy), what's now more often called PEP (polymorphic eruption of pregnancy).
This is the most common itchy rash of pregnancy, affecting about 1 in 160 pregnancies. It develops late in the third trimester, tends to stabilize as the pregnancy progresses, and goes away with delivery. The cause is unknown and no increased risk of other conditions has been found in the mother or her baby as a result.
The rash often starts on the belly with red, itchy, and raised skin. Sometimes tiny blisters are present. In many women, the bumps merge into a larger red area. The face, hands, and feet are rarely involved, but spreading to the legs, buttocks, breasts, arms, and back is common.
To treat it, your OB/GYN will likely prescribe a combo of pregnancy safe antihistamines and steroids. But be sure to see a doctor now in rare cases, an itchy rash can be a sign of something more serious.
By MaryAnn
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