Symptoms and treatments for urticaria during pregnancy

Many pregnant women experience changes in their skin: acne, pigmentation, stretch marks, but all of the above are considered normal. Urticaria in pregnant women is an allergic reaction to food, insect bites, medications and household chemicals. With an increase in hormone levels and changes occurring in blood vessels and cells, women's sensitivity to various substances increases.

As the fetus grows, the skin of the abdomen stretches, and almost every woman experiences uncomfortable sensations of itching and dryness. However, one in 150 pregnant women experiences severe bouts of the rash. Skin irritation can aggravate urticaria, which develops upon contact with various substances: drugs, insect venom, chemical compounds, pollen, animal hair, dairy products, nuts, seafood.

Symptoms of urticaria in pregnant women

Urticaria during pregnancy is manifested by symptoms similar to any type of this disease:

• Skin rashes may consist of separate blisters, or may merge into single red spots;
• Pain when touching the rash;
• Itching and burning;
• General weakness of the body;
• Headache;
• Insomnia, irritation, frequent mood swings;
• A slight increase in temperature is possible;
• In acute form;
• Swelling of the eyelids, lips, nasolabial triangle;
• Quincke's edema;
• Anaphylactic shock;
• Possible white spots on the face;
• Heart disorders;
• Fainting.

How to treat hives?

It is worth noting that this disease can be eliminated quite successfully. But treatment during pregnancy is complicated by the fact that not all drugs and remedies are allowed at this stage, because some of them can have a negative effect on the unborn child and the course of pregnancy. It is extremely important that therapy is comprehensive. It has several directions.

1. It is necessary to prevent or at least limit contact with allergens. What does it mean? First of all, follow your diet. Introduce any product into your diet gradually, observing the reaction. Remember that the following products are considered “hazardous”:

• the most allergenic vegetables are beets, tomatoes and eggplants;
• As for fruits, it is better to avoid citrus fruits;
• Of the berries, strawberries are the most dangerous;
• Do not eat milk and butter;
• eggs can also cause allergies;
• any nuts are potential allergens;
• chocolate and cocoa should not be consumed either;
• carbonated drinks;
• seafood and some types of fish;
• chicken meat, as well as pork.

But diet is not everything. It is also worth limiting contact with animals and plants. Choose only hypoallergenic cosmetics (the same applies to personal hygiene products and household liquids). Also, avoid clothing made from synthetic fabrics. And the apartment needs to be cleaned regularly.

2. To relieve itching and inflammation, you can use some local remedies that are approved during pregnancy. There are a large number of different cooling creams and gels. But before using them, be sure to consult your doctor!

3. Treatment with antihistamines can only be prescribed by the attending physician after examination and only in particularly severe cases. Many of these drugs cannot be used during pregnancy (as well as during lactation after childbirth).

4.If urticaria is in the acute stage, then the doctor may recommend taking sorbents (for example, activated carbon) to remove excess toxins from the body.

5. In pregnant women, urticaria can be eliminated using folk remedies. So, decoctions of string or chamomile (in the form of lotions and rubs) or an ointment of garlic and olive oil can help. But such methods should be used after consulting a doctor.

We can only add that in most cases, urticaria after childbirth goes away when hormones return to normal. But if there is urticaria in a nursing mother, then it is worth continuing treatment and conducting more thorough research.

Features of urticaria during pregnancy

Urticaria is most difficult to tolerate in pregnant women in the first months after conception. In the early stages of pregnancy, a woman’s body is still preparing for the development of a child, so the work of all systems is aimed at the formation of a new life. During this period, various biological active substances begin to enter the blood of the expectant mother, and the immune system is suppressed. It is weakened and does not give the necessary protective reaction. The situation is also aggravated by toxicosis, which manifests itself in the first trimester of pregnancy.

In the last months of pregnancy, urticaria may occur together with late toxicosis. In parallel with the rash and itching, the pregnant woman experiences fatigue and irritability. Swelling of the extremities and increased blood pressure may occur. It is very important not to treat such symptoms yourself and not to ignore them.

In addition, in the last trimester there is a possibility of antigens penetrating the baby’s placenta. The baby's immune system is not yet functioning and will only begin to function after birth. And the defense mechanism, nevertheless, begins its work. During this period, antibodies to allergic irritants can accumulate in the baby’s body and manifest themselves as allergies at birth.

Why does the rash appear?

Urticaria in pregnant women can be caused by changes in the woman’s body. This is due to its special condition, which can vary every day.

During the period of bearing a child, changes in hormonal levels are observed. The immune defense reacts to this, protecting the fetus from negative reactions.

Most often, symptoms are observed in those women who have previously experienced allergies. For the process to develop, irritation must come from inside or outside.

During pregnancy, the level of estrogen, which is a sex hormone, increases. It becomes much larger, due to which allergies appear in the form of rashes on the surface of the skin.

If you come into contact with irritants, there is a high probability of a rash appearing when carrying a child.

The main reasons for the formation of the reaction are identified. They may be related to:

You can also read: Rash on stomach during pregnancy

• chemicals (cosmetics, household products, chemical additives, airborne contaminants and dyes);
• food products (citrus fruits, chocolate, nuts, fish, milk, strawberries, eggs);
• insect bites;
• dust;
• animal hair;
• plant pollen;
• heat and cold;
• pathologies of internal organs.

Although these factors are considered the most common, rashes can appear for other reasons. They are determined by the individual reaction of the pregnant woman’s body.

The danger of urticaria for pregnant women

An allergic reaction of the body, as a rule, does not have a negative effect on the unborn child. But, since urticaria causes rashes, itching and burning of the skin, this can cause irritation, nervousness and sleep disturbance in a woman.

All this, in the future, can have a negative impact on the fetus and its nervous system. It is very important to see a doctor at the first manifestations of the disease and not to bring the disease to an acute form with the development of edema. The swelling of the larynx, respiratory tract and soft tissues of the face that occurs in this case can have serious consequences for the expectant mother and child, therefore, at the first manifestations of Quincke's edema, a woman must call a doctor and be hospitalized under his supervision. Urticaria, which appears in the mother, for the child, in the worst cases, can manifest itself in the form of a tendency to allergic reactions.

What complications may arise?

The most severe complication of the development of an acute allergic reaction can be called Quincke's edema . In this case, extensive swelling occurs, which can cover various parts of the human body. At the beginning, swelling is localized in the subcutaneous fat, then spreading to the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, larynx and nasopharynx.

If treatment for angioedema is not started promptly, it can cause suffocation and death. It is for this reason that it is important to prevent the development of an acute allergic reaction by eliminating exposure to allergens. Only in this case can negative consequences be avoided for both the mother and the unborn baby.

We invite you to watch a video in which practicing dermatovenerologist Makarchuk V.V. talks about treating urticaria at home during pregnancy.

Drug treatment of the disease

Treatment of urticaria in pregnant women is complicated by the fact that not all medications can be taken by a woman so as not to harm the baby. At the initial stages, it is necessary to get rid of the symptoms of the disease and prevent their occurrence in the future.

If urticaria manifests itself in a mild form, very often taking medications is not necessary, and the disease goes away on its own. But if the urticaria is acute, you won’t be able to do without antihistamines. It has also been scientifically proven that the disease can have an effect not only on the skin, but also on internal organs, so during this period doctors prescribe drugs with adsorbent properties, vitamins and drugs to restore the functioning of the digestive system. Additionally, a pregnant woman is prescribed immunostimulants, but only under the supervision of a supervising physician.

When urticaria manifests itself in an acute form, injections can be used, but, as a rule, only if the unborn child is in danger. This must be done with great care, since the medicine immediately enters the blood of the mother and child.

During the period of illness, the expectant mother must follow a diet. You should exclude foods that can cause an allergic reaction from your diet, and consume less fat, sugar and salt. If, as a result of taking medications, a woman develops dysbiosis, it is necessary to restore the intestinal microflora with the help of properly selected nutrition.

Causes and symptoms of the disease

As already mentioned, the main reason for the frequent occurrence of urticaria in pregnant women is a change in the ratio of hormones and a decrease in defenses. And allergens can be a variety of substances - food products, components of household chemicals and cosmetics, house dust, protein from animal saliva, pollen from various plants, and medications.

Pregnancy leaves its mark on the occurrence of allergic reactions. Urticaria most often manifests itself:

• the formation of blisters on the body - plaques raised above the skin, of different, most often irregular shapes and reddish color.
  Their sizes can be very minimal up to 2 mm, or gigantic - in some cases the spots reach 15 cm;
• severe itching;
• increased nervousness and irritability, which ultimately greatly disrupts sleep.

At first, several spots may appear on the body; with a mild form of the pathology, this is usually all that is limited to this, and after a while the rash along with the itching disappears. That is, such symptoms do not need to be eliminated with medication and therefore will not negatively affect the course of pregnancy.

In severe cases, blisters first form on the abdomen, then move to the buttocks and thighs, and begin to cover the surface of the arms, chest and face.

Chronic urticaria causes in pregnant women, in addition to the listed symptoms, a periodic increase in body temperature, headaches, and severe weakness.

With an acutely developing allergy, there is a danger of angioedema, manifested by swelling of the face, throat and an attack of suffocation.

This condition requires immediate help.

Treatment with folk remedies

Urticaria during pregnancy is best treated with folk remedies. After all, this is one of the safest methods. You can prepare decoctions or infusions and use them for both external and internal use.

• Nettle. A decoction is prepared from the plant of the same name. To do this, dry nettle leaves are filled with half a liter of water. The solution is brought to a boil and cooled. It should be used as a lotion on irritated areas of the skin. There are no restrictions on use. You can take nettle decoction orally or add it to water during water procedures.
• Valerian. Take 2 teaspoons of valerian root and pour a glass of hot water. Let the liquid sit. Then strain. Take 2-3 times a day, 1 teaspoon. This plant has a calming effect. Helps get rid of anxiety and excitement typical of a woman during pregnancy, as well as normalize sleep.
• Yarrow tincture. To prepare a decoction, take 2 teaspoons of dry herbs and add hot water. Allow the liquid to brew and cool. Then they filter. The tincture is not taken internally, but is used as compresses and rubbing of skin areas with rashes. In addition, the tincture has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect.

• Celery. The juice of the plant is used to treat urticaria. To obtain it, the stems of the plant should be grated or finely chopped and squeezed through cheesecloth. Once prepared, celery juice should be consumed immediately. It is recommended to take it 30 minutes before meals; already prepared juice cannot be stored. You can also use the plant itself as compresses on irritated areas. To do this, a lot of plant stems can be left after squeezing the juice.

Since it is best for pregnant women not to use drugs for internal use, ointments made from St. John's wort or celandine would be an excellent remedy. They help get rid of itching, relieve redness and flaking of the skin. It is worth remembering that before treating urticaria during pregnancy with folk remedies, you must consult a doctor.

How to treat yourself at home

Small rashes disappear on their own if you do not scratch the affected area, which can aggravate the symptoms. Taking a bath with oatmeal and baking soda helps relieve inflammation, swelling and itching. The skin needs to be moisturized against dryness.

To stop hives during pregnancy, you need to follow several body care rules:

• avoid hot showers and baths;
• refuse tight clothes;
• try not to scratch irritations;
• move more, do not squeeze the skin;
• combat stress and practice relaxation techniques.

For polymorphic rashes, you can use compresses from fabrics moistened with cool water, apply aloe pulp or apply a gel made from natural ingredients, and avoid synthetic clothing.

Diet for urticaria

To protect yourself and your baby from the unpleasant and dangerous manifestations of urticaria, women are advised to adhere to a special diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Nutritionists advise adhering to the following rules:

• eat small portions 5-6 times a day;
• boil, bake or steam food;
• do not eat fried, pickled, smoked and salty foods;
• instead of coffee and tea, drink herbal decoctions and infusions (rose hips, chamomile, linden, mint, etc.);
• do not eat fatty dairy and meat products;
• avoid fast food and products with preservatives, dyes, thickeners and other additives;
• give up chocolate, ice cream and cocoa, as well as cakes, pastries and other sweet pastries;

• for dessert there is marmalade, marshmallow, homemade jam;
• include porridge from various cereals into your diet every day, especially buckwheat and oatmeal;
• among vegetables and fruits, give preference to fruits with a green or yellow color, avoiding red and orange ones;
• do not eat citrus fruits, pineapples and other exotic fruits;
• eat honey and nuts with caution;
• instead of spices, use herbs in dishes: dill, parsley, basil;
• eat whole grain bread and low-fat biscuits.

It is also recommended to maintain a drinking regime and drink 1.5 liters of liquid per day (including soups, compotes and tea).

In addition, a healthy lifestyle will help prevent hives: daily walks in the fresh air, feasible exercise, and personal hygiene. Both expectant and young mothers should avoid stress and maintain calm and peace of mind in any situation. Then neither she nor the baby will be afraid of any diseases!