Itching

ITCHING

Pruritus - the symptom of itching

Anderson, K.N. & Anderson, L.E. (1998). Mosby's pocket dictionary of medicine, nursing, and allied health. Missouri, USA: Mosby.

Pruritis gravidarum - unique to pregnancy as the result of elevated oestrogen and progesterone levels. Onset in the third trimester. No lesions on the skin.

Candida - fungal skin infection in skin folds, under the arms and breeasts.Round, blotchy areas of redness

Toxemic rash of pregnancy - Red, elevated itching hives on the skin of the abdomen, but unrelated to pre-eclampsia.

Papular dermatitis of pregnancy - eruption of highly itchy hives over the entire skin surface. Lesions 3 - 5mm in diameter and do not occur in clusters.

Pruritic urticarial papules - Late in the first pregnancy, itchy pimply skin eruption presenting with oedema and redness on the abdomen and in stretch marks. Not harmful and will disappear postpartum.

Herpes gestationis - Onset signalled by fever, hot and cold sensations, malaise, nausea, headache and itching. Lesions start as a red rash on the abdomen and usually disappear by 6 months after birth.

Pruigo gestationis - Benign lesions which appear as raw, itchy, non-blistering papules on the arms and legs during the second half of pregnancy.

Frye, A. (1998). Holistic Midwifery: Care during pregnancy. Oregon: Labrys Press.

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DATE: 11/14/2004 12:11:00 am