Cholestasis can be described as a condition that many women experience in the late stages of the third trimester. In this condition, the flow of bile from the liver gets blocked because of different reasons. As a result you are likely to experience intense itchiness, especially on your hands and feet if you do suffer from this problem. Cholestasis can cause problems for you as well as your baby, which is why this condition can be quite dangerous and treatment for cholestasis becomes important. Your health care provider may recommend an early delivery if you are diagnosed with cholestasis.
Causes of Cholestasis
Up to 15% of all pregnant women around the world develop cholestasis. Though the exact causes of cholestasis are unknown, health experts believe that the condition is triggered off by pregnancy hormones. It is a well-known fact that pregnancy hormones can have an effect on the functioning of your gallbladder. At times, these hormones can slow down the flow of bile or even stop it completely. When the excess bile enters the bloodstream, it leads to cholestasis.
Symptoms of Cholestasis
One of the first signs of this condition is severe itching in the hands and legs. At times, the itchiness could be severe enough to disrupt your sleep. Given below are some of the other symptoms of cholestasis:
Urine that is darker in colorYellow tinge in the eyes and skinBowel movements that are lighter in colorDo inform your health care provider as soon as you notice any of the symptoms of cholestasis.
Treatment for cholestasis
The treatment for cholestasis has two goals; the first is to prevent any complications and the second is to relieve the itchiness.
In order to prevent any complications, you may be advised to undergo early labor, if you have completed 37 weeks. In case you haven’t crossed the 37th week, your doctor may ask you to go in for ultrasounds tests on a regular basis, to monitor your baby’s heartbeat and movement.
To increase the flow of bile and relieve the itching, your doctor can prescribe certain medicines, like ursodeoxycholic. Anti-itch lotions and creams containing corticosteroids are also very useful in regulating the itchiness. Soaking the affected areas in lukewarm water has also been known to reduce the itching.
Cholestasis of Pregnancy TreatmentDiagnosis of Cholestasis
In order to confirm the diagnosis of cholestasis during pregnancy, your health care provider will need to:
Ask you a few questions about your medical history and perhaps even your family historyPerform a detailed physical examConduct an ultrasound test to check the liver for any abnormalitiesTake a few blood samples and send them to a lab for testingOnce it is confirmed that you are suffering from cholestasis, you may need to go in for a non-stress test, so that the doctor can check how much your baby’s heartbeat increases with movement.
Cholestasis of Pregnancy Treatment
When checking for cholestasis of pregnancy treatment, your doctor may ask you to take a few prescription medicines as well as topical lotions or creams that contain corticosteroids. Alternately, you could also use simple home remedies to relieve the itchiness during pregnancy.
Cornstarch is an excellent home remedy for relieving itchiness caused by various conditions. Since there are no known serious side effects associated with this remedy, it is considered quite safe for use during pregnancy too. Fill up a bathtub with some cool water and add some cornstarch to it. Sit in the bathtub for around 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing your body off. This remedy reduces the itchiness, but will not address the underlying condition.
Alternately, you may also be asked to soak the affected parts in some plain lukewarm water for a while. In case you do develop cholestasis during pregnancy, your doctor will need to monitor your condition carefully. After the completion of 37 weeks, your doctor may also advise you to go through an early delivery, if the condition poses a threat to your baby.
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