December 14, 2024

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What You Need to Know

What You Need to Know

Your body goes through a multitude of changes when you’re pregnant. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis (eczema) might be one of them.

“Eczema is the most common skin disorder of pregnancy,” says Daniel P. Friedmann, MD, a dermatologist with Westlake Dermatology and the clinical research director of the Westlake Dermatology Clinical Research Center in Austin, Texas.

Unfortunately, just because you haven’t experienced atopic dermatitis before doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. It’s entirely possible for eczema to appear for the first time while you’re pregnant, Dr. Friedmann says. Only 20 to 40 percent of pregnant people with atopic dermatitis are estimated to have a preexisting history of eczema; the rest develop symptoms for the first time during pregnancy, most commonly during the first and second trimesters.

The Link Between Pregnancy and Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis flares are the result of different internal or environmental triggers, and it appears pregnancy is one of them.

This is especially true if you’ve dealt with atopic dermatitis before. “Women with a history of eczema prior to pregnancy have a significant risk of an eczema flare during pregnancy,” Friedmann says.

For pregnant women who already have a history of atopic dermatitis, it tends to worsen slightly during the second trimester (Friedmann suspects because of the immunological changes that occur as the fetus grows), though it can occur in the first or third trimesters as well, or postpartum.

So, why does pregnancy seem to worsen atopic dermatitis symptoms? Blame those shifting hormones. “Eczema symptoms during pregnancy are largely related to the impact of female sex hormones on the immune system,” says Natalie C. Yin, MD, a dermatologist with Providence Dermatology in Hillsboro, Oregon.

During pregnancy, the immune system shifts in order to protect the fetus, which can produce an inflammatory response and make atopic dermatitis worse, Dr. Yin says.

It can also worsen asthma and food allergies, she adds.

Ruling Out Other Skin Conditions When You’re Pregnant

Complicating the picture is that pregnant women are prone to developing other rashes that might look similar to atopic dermatitis.

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