Gestational cholestasis begins with persistent itching in the feet and hands. Over time, the itching can extend to the torso and even the skin of the neck, face, and ears. Don't take these symptoms lightly. Gestational cholestasis is a rare but dangerous liver disease for the fetus.

Gestational cholestasisis aliver diseasethat affects women in the last months before delivery and is dangerous for the fetus. Disregarded, it may cause sudden, premature labor, cause labor hemorrhage, and even threaten the life of the baby. The risk of complications decreases if cholestasis is properly treated. That is why it is so important to recognize it quickly.

Causes of Gestational Cholestasis

Gestational cholestasis (full name:intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnant women, WCC ) is a rare disease. In Poland, it affects about 4 percent of pregnant women. There is a family predisposition to its occurrence, but the direct cause of the disease is related to the action of sex hormones: estrogens and progesterone. Their concentration is highest in the third trimester of pregnancy (around the 30th week) - this is when it may turn out that the liver is too weak to cope with such a large dose of hormones. This leads to intrahepatic cholestasis.

Pregnancy cholestasis - symptoms

The main symptom of cholestasis is troublesome itching of the skin, which sometimes appears as early as the 25th week of pregnancy. The severity of symptoms occurs in the evening and at night, and is often the cause of insomnia. 20 percent sick women also complain of nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Not all itching is worrying, but if it lasts for several days and is persistent, you should see your doctor. Only after blood tests and excluding other causes of pruritus, he can state the disease.

Important

What kind of research?

To find out if your problems are caused by intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy (WCC), you need to do a blood chemistry test, called a blood test. liver tests. An increase in the concentration of bile acids and all of the enzymes listed below signals serious liver damage that may be a sign of the disease.

  • ASPAT, standard: 5-38 U / L
  • ALAT, standard: 5-40 U / L
  • Alkaline phosphatase (ALP, Falk, FAL), norm: 20-70 U / L
  • Total bilirubin, norm:0.20-20 mg / dl

Treatment of gestational cholestasis

To reduce the risk of birth complications, an expectant mother who has been diagnosed with cholestasis needs a lot of rest, both physically and mentally. It also has to be under constant medical supervision, which is why a stay in hospital is usually necessary until delivery. Treatment consists of taking steroids and drips with glucose and vitamin C. Liver functions are frequently checked (blood is taken). But the most important thing is to observe the child's condition: from the 34th week of pregnancy, CTG, laboratory tests, and ultrasound are regularly performed. The woman is advised to count the baby's movements.

Diet for pregnancy cholestasis

Since cholestasis is a disease of overloaded liver, it is important to maintain a proper diet so as not to burden the body with additional strain. Therefore, a mother with cholestasis should follow a few rules: give up fried and raw foods; eat only cooked foods, even vegetables and fruits; reduce fats, replace mayonnaise with natural yoghurt; forget about sweetened and carbonated drinks and, of course, about sweets. He can, however, drink all kinds of compotes and eat biscuits that are gentle to the liver.

Pregnancy cholestasis: childbirth

Due to the threat to the life of the baby, the date of delivery and the way it will take place will depend on the mother's condition. Of course, a natural solution is possible with cholestasis. Doctors only intervene when there is a significant deterioration in the he alth of the mother and her baby.

Pregnancy cholestasis does not damage the liver - it passes without any he alth consequences for the woman. However, there is a high risk of this disease recurring in subsequent pregnancies.

If there is a suspicion of hypoxia in the baby, pruritus worsens, jaundice or deterioration of test results, doctors may decide to terminate the pregnancy regardless of its termination. In such cases, a caesarean section is performed or labor is induced artificially. Apart from the difficulties associated with prematurity, as a rule, the newborn does not have any complications related to cholestasis.

Important: in the first days after childbirth, itching subsides and the biochemical values ​​return to normal.

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Pregnancy