I was super itchy near the end too and
used aveeno, the bath stuff and cream but
it sounds like you have puppp which is a
lil more sever and brings about a rash.
My girlfriend had to get a prescription
cortison cream for her case.
"pruritic urticarial papules and plaques
of pregnancy (puppp), also known as
polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, is the
most common rash in pregnant women. It
normally occurs in first pregnancies
during the third trimester with an average
onset of 35 weeks. Thankfully, puppp does
not usually affect subsequent pregnancies.
Appearance of puppp
the rash of puppp almost always begins in
the stretch marks (striae) of the abdomen.
It does not involve the belly button
distinguishing it from other common rashes
of pregnancy. The rash itself consists of
small, red wheals in the stretch marks
that grow together to form larger wheals
on the abdomen. Sometimes the rash can
include small vesicles. Over the next
several days, the rash can spread over the
thighs, buttocks, breasts, and arms.
The rash is very itchy, or pruritic, hence
the name. This condition is harmless to
mother and baby, but can be very annoying.
It lasts an average of 6 weeks and
resolves spontaneously 1 to 2 weeks after
delivery. The most severe itching
normally lasts for no more than 1 week.
Cause of puppp
the cause of puppp is unknown. It is not
associated with preeclampsia, autoimmune
disorders, hormonal abnormalities, or
fetal abnormalities. Some investigators
suggest that the rapid abdominal wall
distension damages connective tissue and
causes an inflammatory response. One
study has shown that male fetal dna can be
found in skin biopsies of the rash. Since
70% of women with puppp give birth to
boys, a new hypothesis is that male fetal
dna acts as a skin irritant.
Diagnosis of puppp
the diagnosis of puppp is clinical,
meaning it is based solely on the
appearance of the rash. There are no
laboratory tests that detect puppp. Skin
biopsies are not generally performed
unless there is a question about the
diagnosis.
Treatment of puppp
the treatment of puppp is symptomatic.
High strength steroid creams or ointments
used up to 5 to 6 times a day usually
relieve the itching and prevent the spread
of the rash. Once the rash is under
control, changing to a lower strength
steroid used less frequently is advisable.
For severe cases, daily oral steroids may
be necessary to control itching. Oral
antihistamines are generally less
effective for itching than steroids, but
may be useful at night to help with sleep.
http://dermatology.About.
Com/cs/pregnancy/a/puppp.Htm?Terms=pupp
