Is My Itchy Rash Normal?

Hi Sandy and Marcie Jones,

I wanted to know is it normal for pregnant women to break out in a rash while they are in the first and second or even the third trimester? Its referred to as Urticaria, I think?”

Urticaria is just a fancy word for “rash,” and there are a lot of different rashes out there, including some that are unique to pregnancy. The most common pregnancy-related rash is PUPPP, which are harmless-yet-itchy bumps that appear on the stomach and chest usually during the third trimester of first pregnancies.

Rashes can also be caused by heat, chafing, food allergies, bug bites and even mild viruses. Most are harmless and will last for a few hours or a day and then go away on their own.

Very rarely, an itchy rash and/or itchy palms and feet and in the third trimester can be the sign of a condition called intrahepatic cholestatis of pregnancy (ICP/OC), so for that reason do mention any itching and show any bumps or rashes to your health care provider.

For an itchy red body rash, unscented bath products with oatmeal and shea or cocoa butter lotion can be helpful. If the rash is so irritating you can barely function, or it doesn’t go away on its own after a day or two, let your health care provider know and he or she may be able to prescribe cream or oral steroids.