Contents:
- Medical Video: Pregnancy Tips : Treating Abdominal Itching During Pregnancy
- Is it normal for pregnant women to feel itching in their stomach?
- How do you deal with an itchy stomach while pregnant?
- 1. Don't scratch it
- 2. Apply moisturizer to your skin
- 3. Apply antigatal cream
- 4. Avoid warm baths
- 5. Avoid going out when the weather is hot
- 6. Place cold compresses on the itchy area
- 7. Wear clothes that are dry, clean and loose
Medical Video: Pregnancy Tips : Treating Abdominal Itching During Pregnancy
When pregnant, the mother must experience changes, ranging from physical changes and psychological changes. The most noticeable change is a change in the belly of pregnant women that starts to grow. Not only that, the problem that also often occurs is an itchy stomach during pregnancy.
Is it normal for pregnant women to feel itching in their stomach?
Itching is normal for your stomach when you are pregnant. This itching is often felt by many pregnant women. Not only on the stomach, itching can also be felt by pregnant women on their breasts. What causes this?
READ ALSO: Various Changes to the Skin During Pregnancy
Your stomach that continues to grow during pregnancy contributes to the itching that you feel. When your stomach is enlarged, your skin also widens. The skin can lose its moisture and become dry, making it easier for you to feel itchy and uncomfortable.
In addition, hormonal changes while you are pregnant can also cause itching in the area around your stomach. Increased estrogen hormones during pregnancy can cause your skin to itch more easily. However, this will disappear when you have given birth.
However, itching during pregnancy can also be caused by other skin conditions, such as eczema. Eczema can occur when you are pregnant, maybe you are experiencing this for the first time. If you experience eczema during pregnancy, you will feel itchy on each fold of your skin, such as on the inside of your knee or elbow.
Or, if the itching in your stomach is also accompanied by a rash, you may experience a polymorphic eruption in pregnancy. Usually this happens in the final trimester of pregnancy and this is not dangerous for you or the fetus. This condition can just disappear after you give birth.
How do you deal with an itchy stomach while pregnant?
Itching or other parts of it during pregnancy can make you feel uncomfortable. To overcome this, you cannot be careless because your itching may even get worse. The following are ways to deal with itching during pregnancy:
1. Don't scratch it
When you feel itchy, you will spontaneously scratch it. However, scratching is not a good thing to deal with itching. Scratching will only make your skin irritated.
READ ALSO: Ingredients in Cosmetics that Pregnant Women Should Avoid
2. Apply moisturizer to your skin
Itching can be caused by your skin being too dry and not moist. Therefore, you need to put a moisturizer on your skin to deal with itching. The cold sensation you feel after using a moisturizer can also make you more comfortable. You can apply moisturizer to your skin as often as possible as long as the ingredients are safe for pregnancy. Avoid products that contain urea, essential oils, salicylic acid, or retinoids.
3. Apply antigatal cream
If applying a moisturizer has not been able to overcome your itching, you can use other methods. You can apply anti-itch cream to areas that you feel itchy. Cold powder that also has an antigatal content may also be used to treat itching.
4. Avoid warm baths
A warm bath may make your body fresher and more energetic. However, this method is less able to overcome your itching. Warm baths can actually make your skin drier, so you will be easier to itch.
5. Avoid going out when the weather is hot
Heat from sunlight can make your skin drier, making it easier for you to itch. Therefore, as much as possible avoid leaving the house when the weather is hot. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can also trigger rashes on dry skin.
6. Place cold compresses on the itchy area
Compressing areas that itch with cold water can help you deal with itching. The cold sensation that you feel can also make you more comfortable.
READ ALSO: What to do if you fall while pregnant?
7. Wear clothes that are dry, clean and loose
The clothes you wear certainly rub against your skin and this can be the cause of your itching. Therefore, you should choose clothes that are clean and dry, and that you are comfortable wearing. Clothes that are loose and light may make you comfortable when wearing them.
