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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffResearch into effective alternative therapies for treating cholestasis of pregnancy is ongoing and not yet complete, so doctors and other health care providers generally aren't recommending any alternative therapies at this time.
One alternative therapy being studied is S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a naturally occurring substance. In two small studies, women in their third trimesters who had cholestasis of pregnancy were given SAMe intravenously — through a vein — and experienced relief from intense itching with no adverse effects to them or their babies. These results suggest that SAMe therapy might be safe for short-term use during the third trimester of pregnancy, but more research is needed before doctors can recommend this therapy.
Other alternative therapies that have been or are being studied include guar gum, activated charcoal, milk thistle and dandelion root, but there's no evidence that these therapies work or are safe for pregnant women to take.
Always check with your doctor or health care provider before trying an alternative therapy, especially if you're pregnant.
- Bacq Y. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 21, 2009.
- Geenes V, et al. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2009;15:2049.
- Liver disorders in pregnancy. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_14543.asp. Accessed Aug. 24, 2009.
- Riely CA, et al. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Clinics in Liver Disease. 2004;8:167.
- Skin conditions during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp169.cfm. Accessed Aug. 24, 2009.
- Cappell MS. Hepatic and gastrointestinal diseases. In: Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/156403804-2/0/1528/432.html?tocnode=57028110&fromURL=432.html. Accessed Aug. 24, 2009.
- Burrows R, et al. Interventions for treating cholestasis in pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD000493.
- SAMe. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Sept. 9, 2009.
