OBSTETRIC CHOLESTASIS

What is it? A liver disorder in pregnancy where bile salts leak into your blood instead of flowing normally from the liver to your gut to help you digest food. It can cause itching, rashes, jaundice and sickness. It also increases the risk of premature and stillborn births. Who gets it? One in 100 pregnant women. It is most common in women of Indian, Pakistani and South American origin where it’s estimated to be as high as 1 in 20. Cause: OC seems to run in families and it’s thought women may inherit a problem in their bile duct. But it can occur with no family history and some experts link it to hormonal changes in pregnancy. Treatment: Keeping cool, wearing loose clothes and using creams like calamine lotion can help. Some people need antihistamines to help itching and ursodeoxycholic acid to bring down bile levels, but these should only be taken on doctor’s advice. There’s no cure but it goes after pregnancy. For more info: Log on to www.patient.co.uk/health/obstetric-cholestasis.