PODIATRIST DISCUSSES ICP AND ITCHY FEET DURING PREGNANCY
posted: Nov. 23, 2021.
Cholestasis, also known as intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) or obstetric cholestasis, is a liver condition that affects about one or two of every 1,000 expectant parents. It’s also a potential cause of itching in pregnancy, particularly if you are experiencing itchiness of the feet and hands. Neha Singla Jani, DPM, a podiatrist at Northern Illinois Foot & Ankle Specialists, explains that cholestasis occurs as a result of reduction or stoppage in the liver’s ability to process bile, the digestive fluid produced by the liver.
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Dr. Neha Singla Jani |
“The pathogenesis of itching in cholestasis is unknown, but some hypotheses have been proposed, including bile acid accumulation in the skin that acts as agents that cause itching,” Dr. Jani explains. Cholestasis usually happens toward the end of pregnancy, says Dr. Jani, and can be experienced throughout the body or in localized areas. If the itching is confined to specific parts of the body, the hands and feet are the most common areas.
Source: Wendy Wisner, Very Well Family [11/16/21]
Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News