Eczema During Pregnancy

[MaryMary]

My sister have eczema and now she is pregnant .I'm afraid if she will have any complication and it will affect her baby. She has visited doctor before and used medications but now i'm afraid if she can continue using medications. Anyone here suffer from same problem.How did you manage? Will the eczema affect her baby ? What should she do to have a normal healthy birth ? please suggest

[Dr.Deepak]

There is no evidence to suggest that eczema directly affects any birth defect,fertility or rates of miscarriage. But secondary skin infection with herpes simplex virus causes eczema herpeticum. There has been no cases that Eczema herpeticum cause intrauterine infection but herpes simplex virus causes miscarriage, premature delivery and intrauterine growth restriction. If eczema herpeticum is suspected prompt treatment with Aciclovir is suggested and it is safe drug in pregnancy.

To prevent any complications during pregnancy, systemic antibiotics and other systemic medications is restricted as much as possible.Topical steroids,Ultraviolet B and Emollients are safe.For more severe cases that need systemic oral medications it must be taken under closed supervision of a health professional.Please visit a dermatologist for better suggestions about this issue.

[MaryMary]

O.k thank you i'll talk to dermatologist and avoid here from oral medication.Thank you 010081 for your suggestion.

[Dr.Deepak]

you are welcome :)

[Neelam]

my sister also had eczema during her pregnancy and doctor stopped her antibiotics and continue with topical creams and she was fine with a healthy baby.she is now 6 yrs old and no eczema till date.

[nlp18]

Take advise of dermatologist befor continuing eczema medication. Pregnant Women or breastfeeding women dont take medication before consulting with a dermatologist or obstetrician. Few medications could harm the child. For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all medication be classified according to its potential effects on a pregnancy. Few medications are safe and others are not, those which are unsafe should be stopped.Communicate openly with the dermatologist. A dermatologist can help a woman weigh the risks and benefits of the medications and other eczema treatment options. :p All the very best for your sister to conceive a healthy child.

[Djmarie21]

I am pregnant right now and have a raging case of eczema. I am going to the dermatologist as soon as I can get an appointment. I am just moisturizing like crazy right now and only showering every other day. Too soon to tell if it will help.

[Kay]

Djmarie21, I hope you feel better soon! Pregnancy can be uncomfortable enough alone, never mind with eczema on top of it.

MaryMary, I was just reading about new research in the Washington Post. The study points to fish consumption in pregnancy as possibly reducing the chances of the baby having eczema.


SUNDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- An apple a day while you're pregnant may indeed keep the doctor away. But the real beneficiary could be your unborn child.

Recent research suggests that when moms-to-be eat apples during pregnancy, their offspring have lower rates of asthma.

And, mothers who consume fish during pregnancy may lower their child's risk of developing the allergic skin condition called eczema.

"There are influences that occur in utero that can have lasting impact," said Dr. Jennifer Appleyard, chief of allergy and immunology at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit. "More and more, we're finding influences for later health develop earlier than we anticipated."

More than 20 million Americans have asthma, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and about 6.2 million of those are children.

Eczema is an allergic condition that makes the skin dry and itchy. It's most common in babies and children and is sometimes called atopic dermatitis.

Dutch researchers recently followed 1,253 children from before birth to age 5. Their mothers completed food questionnaires during their pregnancies, and their children's health was assessed with a symptom questionnaire. The children's diets were also assessed.



Read more (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/04/AR2009010400621_pf.html)

[Djmarie21]

Wow, thanks Kay! With my eight year old, I did not consume fish in any manner. With my almost seven month old, I was eating Tilapia about three times a week. My eight year old had horrible eczema when he was a baby and still gets dry patches. My youngest has perfect skin so far and is showing no signs of eczema! Time to start eating fish again for this pregnancy! Plus, that will help my skin out too!