Itching during pregnancy – Should it be handled in routine or on priority? – Role of Community Medicine Health Post in Bridging the Gaps in the Health System

Itching during pregnancy

  • Ekta Dogra
  • Sathiabalan Murugan
  • Anubhuti Sharma
  • Arun Kumar Aggarwal
Keywords: Pruritus, Pregnancy, Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP)

Abstract

Itching in pregnancy is quite common with most common reason being dryness of skin and hormonal influences. It may also be due to Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP), that requires intense monitoring, follow up and management, to avoid adverse pregnancy outcomes. Here we present a case of a third gravida with twin pregnancy and itching in early 2nd trimester. In this case, itching was considered as a part of normal physiology of pregnancy until the severity of itching impaired patient’s day to day activities. Though it was presumptively diagnosed at tertiary care institute, there were some gaps at health system level that may have otherwise led to an adverse pregnancy outcome. It propelled us to understand what we can do as community health physicians for cases like these and to build a protocol for follow up of similar cases at community level.

Author Biographies

Ekta Dogra

Senior Resident

Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh

Sathiabalan Murugan

Junior resident

Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh

Arun Kumar Aggarwal

Professor

Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh

Published
2019-06-06
How to Cite
Dogra, E., Murugan, S., Sharma, A., & Aggarwal, A. (2019). Itching during pregnancy – Should it be handled in routine or on priority? – Role of Community Medicine Health Post in Bridging the Gaps in the Health System. International Journal of Health Systems and Implementation Research, 3(1), 75-83. Retrieved from https://ijhsir.ahsas-pgichd.org/index.php/ijhsir/article/view/33