{"id":27671,"date":"2024-06-14T18:00:26","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T18:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=27671"},"modified":"2025-10-28T14:00:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T14:00:54","slug":"belly-itch-during-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/pregnancy\/belly-itch-during-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"belly itch during pregnancy: effective remedies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Since you became pregnant, your belly sometimes feels itchy\u2026 In fact, you just can\u2019t help scratching it! Is this a common phenomenon? What causes this itching? How can you make it stop?<\/p>\n<p>May explains everything in this article.<\/p>\n<h2>Why does my belly itch during pregnancy?<\/h2>\n<p>During pregnancy, you may experience itching on your belly and it\u2019s not necessarily something to worry about. As your<strong> skin stretches<\/strong>, it\u2019s completely normal \u2014 your baby is growing quickly month after month and needs more room in your belly. As a result, the skin becomes more sensitive and can make you <strong>want to scratch<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Although this symptom is usually harmless, in some cases it can be <strong>caused by a medical condition<\/strong> that requires attention. This is especially true for the following conditions.<\/p>\n<h3>Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy<\/h3>\n<p>This is a liver and gallbladder disorder caused by pregnancy hormones, most often appearing <strong>in the third trimester<\/strong> (and rarely in the second). It is characterized by intense itching without rash, localized on the belly, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet, recurring especially at night. This requires urgent medical consultation.<\/p>\n<p>To give you an idea, here\u2019s what healthcare professionals do when managing it:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Confirm the diagnosis<\/strong> with a fasting blood test in the morning to measure bile acid levels in the blood.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure that the cholestasis <strong>is related to pregnancy<\/strong> and not to another liver issue. This involves blood tests to rule out hepatitis or infection, as well as an ultrasound of the liver and bile ducts to check for gallstones.<\/li>\n<li>Start treatment: medication is given <strong>to stop the itching<\/strong> and <strong>neutralize bile acids<\/strong> present in the blood.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Set up monitoring<\/strong> of both the mother and fetus, as well as for other possible complications more common in cases of cholestasis.<\/li>\n<li>In rare cases, in situations of severe cholestasis and advanced pregnancy, <strong>labor may be induced<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>PUPP (Polymorphic Urticarial Plaques of Pregnancy)<\/h3>\n<p>In French, these are <strong>polymorphic eruptions<\/strong> of pregnancy. The name sounds a bit intimidating, we agree\u2026 This condition can look quite dramatic (especially with red papules appearing all over the body) but it is <strong>completely harmless<\/strong>. Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The cause is <strong>still unknown<\/strong> \u2014 one of pregnancy\u2019s many mysteries.<\/li>\n<li>It usually appears<strong> during the last two months of pregnancy<\/strong> and fades within six weeks after giving birth.<\/li>\n<li>It causes <strong>intense itching<\/strong>, sometimes even before visible lesions appear.<\/li>\n<li>The eruptions <strong>begin on the belly<\/strong> (especially in the stretch mark areas) and can spread to the back, neck, arms, and legs, forming patches.<\/li>\n<li>It often looks like hives, sometimes with <strong>small pustules filled with clear fluid<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>There is <strong>no risk of contagion<\/strong> \u2014 no danger to the fetus or to the baby after birth.<\/li>\n<li>Treatment involves applying <strong>dermocorticoid creams<\/strong> that are safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Antihistamines may also be prescribed to reduce itching, especially at bedtime.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to learn more? Feel free to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/1pblulz8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">download the May app<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where you&#8217;ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How can hormonal changes affect itching?<\/h2>\n<p>Hormonal changes can also cause some itching, especially in areas <strong>where stretch marks appear<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Because <strong>pregnancy hormones<\/strong> <strong>reduce sebum production<\/strong> (an oily substance secreted by the skin through sebaceous glands), which dries out the skin. To relieve it, the best thing to do is <strong>keep your skin as moisturized as possible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Which products are safe to relieve itching during pregnancy?<\/h2>\n<p>To relieve pregnancy-related itching, it\u2019s important <strong>to nourish and deeply hydrate your skin<\/strong>. Many moisturizing creams and nourishing oils are available on the market \u2014 at all price points!<\/p>\n<p>Be sure to use creams and oils that are <strong>safe for pregnancy<\/strong>. You may already know that many essential oils are not recommended during this time. To avoid any risk, we recommend choosing creams and oils specifically designed for pregnancy or carefully reading ingredient labels before buying.<\/p>\n<p>If in doubt, you can also reach out to our midwives via the May chat service, available 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.<\/p>\n<h2>Which home remedies can help reduce abdominal itching?<\/h2>\n<p>To naturally soothe itching, try these tips:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Take showers or baths with <strong>lukewarm water<\/strong>. Avoid water that\u2019s too hot or too cold, as extreme temperatures can weaken the skin and worsen itching.<\/li>\n<li>When washing, choose a soap or shower gel that\u2019s <strong>gentle and fragrance-free<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>When drying off, <strong>pat your skin gently<\/strong> so as not to irritate your belly.<\/li>\n<li>Wear loose, natural-fiber clothing <strong>to prevent irritation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In general, try to avoid scratching as much as possible.<\/p>\n<h2>When should you see a doctor for itching during pregnancy?<\/h2>\n<p>As soon as the itching <strong>becomes too intense<\/strong> or causes concern, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider to discuss it.<\/p>\n<p>If you experience itching <strong>on your belly and extremities<\/strong> (see the symptoms of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy above), do not wait to consult a doctor \u2014 you should go directly to the maternity emergency room for evaluation.<\/p>\n<p>Now you know everything about belly itching during pregnancy! Remember: avoid scratching, keep your skin moisturized and nourished, and consult a professional if you\u2019re ever unsure.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013<\/p>\n<p>Photo: frimufilms<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US\/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since you became pregnant, your belly sometimes feels itchy\u2026 In fact, you just can\u2019t help scratching it! Is this a common phenomenon? What causes this itching? How can you make it stop? May explains everything in this article. Why does my belly itch during pregnancy? During pregnancy, you may experience itching on your belly and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":12041,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[142,148],"class_list":["post-27671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pregnancy","tag-pregnancy-timeline","tag-early-pregnancy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27671"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27674,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27671\/revisions\/27674"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}