What is the PUPPS Pregnancy Rash?
PUPPS (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy) is an itchy rash that mainly affects first-time pregnant women. It is a hive-like rash that starts in the stretchmarks on the abdomen and rapidly starts to spread to the breasts, arms, legs, and buttocks. Although the precise cause is not known, we do know that it has no lasting effects on the mother or the unborn child. The rash is more of a nuisance than anything else. What makes PUPPS so irritating to women is not the ugly rash, but the constant itching associated with the rash. Some mothers scratch the affected areas so much that they make the sores bleed which can lead to scarring. This itching keeps the mothers up all night scratching and they can never seem to find a comfortable position. This only leads to more aggravation for the mother-to-be. This pregnancy rash has no specific cure but there is a small light at the end of the tunnel. The rash can be made bearable with a few at home and doctor prescribed treatments.
