Luo Guangpu, Department of Integrative Dermatology, Guangdong Provincial Dermatology Hospital ■ New Express reporter Liang Yu correspondent Zeng Weihua “I ate a shrimp when I was pregnant, my belly was allergic, itchy to the birth ah!” Often “experienced” mothers with similar experiences remind new mothers to prevent allergies during pregnancy, and some pregnant mothers do encounter similar situations, but dermatologists say that it is likely not allergies. Pregnant women with itchy bellies may be caused by four kinds of pregnancy skin diseases, and allergies are not much related! The pregnant mother ate raw fish allergy belly itch? It is not an allergy. Ms. Lu has a three-year-old cute daughter. One day, when she was having dinner with her pregnant girlfriend, she watched her girlfriend clip a shrimp and reminded her that she had eaten raw fish once when she was 8 months pregnant and her belly started to itch. “Although my belly was not itchy after I gave birth, the scratches left pigmentation, which only disappeared in two years! Pregnancy is very easy to allergic!” “This is not a skin allergy!” Luo Guangpu, deputy chief physician of the Department of Integrative Dermatology at Guangdong Dermatology Hospital, told the New Express that this is a pregnancy skin disease, a type of skin disease that occurs exclusively in women during pregnancy. Many pregnant women, after the occurrence of pregnancy skin disease, take it for granted with what they have been exposed to, what they have eaten to pull on the causal relationship, but in fact not. “If it’s an allergy, it usually occurs all over the body, not just on the belly.” Luo Guangpu told reporters that pregnancy skin disease is a type of disease that occurs on the belly of pregnant women, the reason is not exact, presumably related to hormonal changes during pregnancy. The company’s main business is to provide a wide range of products and services to the market. The papules appear along the skin lines around the belly button and are manifested as a rash, erythema and papules. PUPPP usually resolves naturally within a few weeks after the birth and does not affect the health of the mother or the baby. The cause of the disease is not clear, but it is presumed to be related to the hormonal and metabolic abnormalities of pregnant women, but not to food allergies.” In addition to PUPPP, itchy rash in pregnancy is also one of the common skin conditions in pregnant women. “Itchy rash during pregnancy can occur at any time during pregnancy, early, middle and late.” Luo Guangpu pointed out that, unlike PUPPP, itchy rash in pregnancy can occur not only on the belly, but also on the extensor side of the limbs (outer arms, front side of the legs) with isolated, scattered small papules and raised nodules, and some people do not have a rash. There is usually severe pruritus, which is more severe than PUPPP. In some cases, the itching subsides on its own within a short period of time, while in others, it continues until after the birth of the child. Cholestatic itchy skin in pregnancy Luo Guangpu pointed out that cholestatic itchy skin in pregnancy is also one of the possible causes of itchy belly of pregnant mothers, mostly occurs in the middle and late pregnancy, presumably related to maternal hormone levels, increased abdominal gravity and other factors. Some pregnant mothers develop cholestatic pruritus during pregnancy along with jaundice. This is associated with biliary stasis and increased bilirubin concentration to a certain level. In severe cases, this pregnancy skin disease can affect the health of the fetus, such as causing premature birth and fetal distress. The itchy belly of a pregnant mother with herpes in pregnancy may also be herpes in pregnancy. In fact, herpes in pregnancy is an autoimmune disease.” At first, the skin is edematous and red, and after a few days it turns into large blisters and intense itching, but it will heal after the birth of the child, and may recur in the next pregnancy. The disease is presumed to be caused by elevated progesterone in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. “The company’s main goal is to provide the best possible service to its customers. Many pregnant mothers believe that it is not advisable to use medication during pregnancy and tolerate the itching of their bellies, rather than seek medical attention. “The actual fact is that some skin conditions during pregnancy may affect the health of the fetus, for example, there are reports that itchy rash during pregnancy may lead to stillbirth. For example, itchy rash during pregnancy has been reported to cause stillbirth. Therefore, it is important to seek medical attention for skin diseases during pregnancy, and doctors will give appropriate intervention and treatment within safety limits according to the condition of the pregnant woman.” The above-mentioned common pregnancy skin diseases listed above can be treated with topical ointment, furnace glycerine lotion, or topical Chinese medicine to remove heat and dampness and relieve itching; for heavy ones with a large rash area, topical medicine is not effective, oral or injectable anti-itch drugs with high safety level, which need to be used under the guidance of professional dermatologists, not to be used or abused indiscriminately.