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Home » Topics A–Z » Skin problems in pregnancy
Author: Dr Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand, 2009. Updated September 2015.
Hormonal changes in pregnancy may result in physiological alterations in the skin, hair and nails. Examples include:
Physiological skin changes in pregnancy
Pregnancy may result in the onset of or worsening of some common and uncommon skin problems. These include:
Some skin conditions are reported to improve in pregnancy (at least sometimes).
When prescribing for skin diseases, safety of medicines in pregnancy must be carefully considered.
Common skin conditions that may present or worsen in pregnancy
Itch (pruritus) is relatively common in pregnancy. Causes include scabies, atopic eczema, contact irritant dermatitis etc. Some specific itchy conditions that arise in pregnancy follow.
Intrahepatic cholestasis affects about 1% of pregnancies. It results in unexplained pruritus (itch) during the second and third tremesters, with raised blood levels of bile acids and/or liver enzymes. Intrahepatic cholestasis is associated with:
Prurigo of pregnancy (papular dermatitis of pregnancy) presents as scattered itchy/scratched papules at any stage of pregnancy. It should be managed with emollients, and topical steroids may help individual papules.
Prurigo of pregnancy
Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy is also called PUPPP, an acronym for Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy. Features include:
Emollients, medium potency topical steroids and sedative oral antihistamines provide relief of symptoms. In severe cases, systemic steroids may be necessary.
Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy (PUPPP)
Pemphigoid gestationis is a rare blistering disease due to circulating IgG autoantibodies similar to those found in bullous pemphigoid, targeting a basement membrane zone protein BPAG2 (BP180) within the hemidesmosome. Features include:
Pemphigoid gestationis
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