Mum shares photo after becoming 'allergic' to her own pregnancy
By Madhurima Haque|
Carrying a baby for nine months comes with all kinds of side-effects, but one mum has told how she was "allergic" to her own pregnancy.
US mum April shared a video to TikTok featuring an image of her laying on her side in pain, with her pregnant belly completely inflamed and consumed by a red, angry rash.
"It went away as soon as I gave birth," she said in the caption of the video.
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Other mums were able to identify the condition as PUPPP rash - also known as Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy, or Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy. It occurs mostly during the later stages of pregnancy, and is likely caused by the rapid expansion of the mother's skin as the baby grows, according to Healthline.
Small pimple-like spots first appear in the stretch marks, but may get bigger and expand to become like hives, beginning at the abdomen and spreading to the body's extremities within a few days. The only way for it to stop is by giving birth.
Mums shared their experience with the condition.
"I had a HORRIBLE allergic reaction and then a week later found out I was pregnant with my lil girl," shared one mum
"No one talks about this and it's the worst of the worst I slept with socks on my hands to help stop me from scratching," shared another.
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"I had it and it's so bad it's like having chicken pox on fire," said another commenter.
In a follow up video, April says that at first the doctors themselves did not know what was wrong with her, assuming that she had an allergy to something else. It was only after doing her own research and bringing up PUPPP to her doctor that she got a proper diagnosis.
She also says she will not behaving any more kids out of fear of the rash recurring in future pregnancies.
"I'm traumatised because that rash made me feel like my stomach was on fire 24/7. I could not sleep, I had to take oatmeal baths to get five minutes of relief, I had to carry ice with me when I was in bed just to feel some relief. I couldn't even have clothing on my belly because the slightest touch would make me itch so bad," she said.
