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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTreatment for cholestasis of pregnancy has two goals: relieve itching and prevent complications.
Relieving itching
To soothe intense itching, your health care provider may recommend:
- Taking a prescription medication, such as ursodeoxycholic acid, to relieve itching and increase bile flow
- Using anti-itch creams or lotions that contain corticosteroids
- Soaking itchy areas in lukewarm water
Preventing complications
To make sure your condition doesn't lead to complications with your pregnancy, your health care provider may recommend:
- Regular blood tests to monitor how well your liver is working and measure the amount of bile in your blood.
- Periodic ultrasounds and nonstress tests to monitor your baby's well-being. During an ultrasound, high-frequency sound waves are translated into a pattern of light and dark areas — creating an image of your baby on a monitor. During a nonstress test, your health care provider will check how often your baby moves in a certain period of time and how much his or her heart rate increases with movement.
- Early induction of labor. Even if the prenatal tests appear normal, your health care provider may suggest inducing labor early — at or near 38 weeks, or even earlier if cholestasis is severe — which is sometimes the best and only way to prevent complications.
- 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.
