“Chickenpox on steroids” is how Ali Preston describes the itchiness she felt on her feet and hands during her two pregnancies. During one pregnancy she kept a bucket of ice next to her bed at night in case the itching woke her and she could stick her feet into the ice right away for some relief.
Both of her pregnancies were in vitro fertilizations in which women have a high chance of experiencing a liver disease called Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP). Bile acids build in the liver possibly due to changes in hormone levels and bile acid metabolism. The illness typically shows itself in the third trimester of pregnancy with intense itching on the palms and soles, as Preston experienced, or other symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, dark urine or pale stools.
Preston said she was fortunate to have care at Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal where her obstetrician and care team identified the symptoms as ICP. With her first child, labor was induced at 37 weeks and she gave birth to a son. For her second child, a daughter, labor was induced at 36 weeks. With ICP there is an elevated risk of stillbirth after 37 weeks of pregnancy.0
“I was very fortunate to have two healthy pregnancies,” she said. Neither baby needed to spend time in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Carle BroMenn Supervisor Keli Sidebottom, RN, said labor inductions carry risks including a required C-
section if dilation does not occur, risk for infection if the amniotic sac is broken for a long period, and risk of bleeding after delivery because uterine muscle may not contract as they should after delivery. In addition, she said inducing ICP patients earlier puts the baby at risk of being born prematurely and those infants could have breathing issues, feeding issues and temperature control issues.
“At Carle BroMenn we have an experienced team of nursery nurses and neonatal nurse practitioners who collaborate with neonatologists to safely care for babies born prematurely,” Sidebottom said.
So many things women experience during pregnancy may seem normal, Preston said. “There are many women in situations where they have to advocate to get tested,” she said.
Preston’s obstetrician, Karla Kossler, MD, said there is currently nothing to prevent a woman from experiencing ICP during pregnancy and if you have it with one child, there is a 50 percent chance you will have it again. She prescribed ursodiol to alleviate the symptoms.
Every pregnancy has its own subtleties and Preston said the medication helped with her first child and the itching stopped right away after giving birth. With her second child, the medication did not help with the itching and it lasted a couple of weeks after giving birth.
Carle Health offers women’s health specialists throughout the system. Whether you are having a baby, managing women’s cancers, treating gynecological disorders or accessing routine obstetric care, Carle Health has a medical professional that fits every type of care plan.
Categories: Culture of Quality, Community
Tags: baby, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, pregnancy, Women's Health