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Christina DePino thought the severe itching she felt was a normal symptom of pregnancy. Luckily she had gone to a checkup before things turned for the worse as she found out she could have given birth to a premature or stillborn baby which she then spreads for awareness of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy causes.

Pregnancy comes with various symptoms felt by the mother all throughout nine months, and Christina thought the itching she felt all over her body is just one of those. But after Christina shared on Facebook her symptoms, some of her friends urged her to have a check up as what she experiences do not sound like a normal pregnancy symptom as per Refinery29.

Christina is glad that she listened as, it turns out, she was diagnosed with pregnancy cholestasis. Aside from the severe itching, the condition is harmless for her. But for the baby, it could have caused her child's death if she got herself checked later.

Cholestasis of Pregnancy Causes

The itching is a liver condition called intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). While itching for pregnant women can be normal because of the skin's increased sensitivity and stretching, the itching felt with cholestasis is more severe.

This condition occurs when bile acids that usually flow from liver to the gut do not flow properly. Instead, the bile builds up on the body.

There is no cure for ICP. Just like how it develops during pregnancy, the condition also goes away once the pregnancy is over.

Meanwhile, cholestasis does not harm the mother. The babies, however, gets a higher risk of being delivered stillborn or premature thus doctors recommend induced labor.

Aside from the itching, other symptoms of cholestasis include dark urine and pale poop. Additionally, the woman's skin and eyes are also observed to turn yellowish.

The awareness of the intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy causes is helpful for many mothers out there especially when the condition is not that familiar to everyone. Being mindful of the severe itching experienced, and other possible symptoms, that might feel no longer normal is really important especially for the baby.