How to Relieve Itchy Skin During Pregnancy

Hormones can also play a role. “Your belly itches when you’re pregnant, but other parts of your body can itch, too, and that is likely more due to hormonal changes of pregnancy,” Espey says. Hormone changes can worsen existing itchy skin conditions like eczema, as well, she notes.

When Is Itchy Skin a Sign of a Problem?

Itchy skin is common and usually more annoying than serious. But there are a couple of conditions to keep on your radar and talk to your provider about:

PUPPP

PUPPP stands for pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. It may also be called PEP, or polymorphic eruption of pregnancy.

This uncomfortable skin condition typically occurs in the third trimester. It causes a bumpy, itchy rash that starts out on your abdomen before showing up in places like your thighs and buttocks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. While experts aren’t totally sure what causes PUPPP, it’s not harmful to the baby.

PUPPP typically goes away after the baby is born. Your doctor may be able to prescribe an anti-itching cream to help in the meantime.

Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP)

ICP is a liver condition that can occur when you’re pregnant. A symptom of ICP is a rashless itch that’s especially intense at night.

Andrea Baker, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn with UT Health Houston in Bellaire, Texas, explains that symptoms of ICP usually crop up in the second or third trimester. Look out for itching that starts on your hands and/or soles of your feet and then spreads to the rest of your body.

If you notice any of those symptoms of ICP, reach out to your provider. They may want to perform a blood test to check for ICP. This liver condition increases the risk of dangerous issues like preterm delivery, so they will likely monitor you closely if you have it.

How Can You Relieve Itchy Skin?

ICP requires medical help. For PUPPP, your provider can offer solutions like a corticosteroid cream or an antihistamine.

To help with typical itchiness, you can turn to many of the same things you’d have done before pregnancy. Try using a gentle, unscented lotion, opt for cotton clothing over synthetic fibers, and take cool baths so as not to dry out your skin.

“I would recommend staying away from scented soaps. Those can irritate the skin,” Baker says. She also recommends switching to an unscented or gentle detergent to see whether that helps, too. Some pregnant people can be sensitive to certain ingredients.

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