Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by scabies mites. It may also occur during pregnancy. This article discusses the treatment options for pregnant women.
Some pregnant women may get rashes over time. It may be due to the weather, dry skin, or some allergy. However, if the rash itches a lot and comes with red marks in those areas, it could be due a skin disease called scabies. This is a common skin problem with symptoms similar to rashes. Scabies is caused by mite infestation which live underneath the surface of the skin. The most common areas where they affect includes thighs, elbows, and hands.
Causes
Any person, especially pregnant women may get easily infected by scabies. It is usually caused due to skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Usually, in pregnant women, it’s when the partner has scabies infestation that the mite gets transmitted. Moreover, you may also get the infection if you share contaminated items like clothes, towel, and bedding with the infected person. However, a quick handshake or hug with a person who is infected usually does not spread the mites. Moreover, pets can’t pass these mites to you since the mites which infect the humans are different than those that infect the pets.
Treatment
Drugs like scabicide help get rid of this skin condition. However, it’s always better to consult a healthcare provider before taking any medicines so that you know the exact dosage. The following are some medicines which you may use during pregnancy.
Permethrin
It’s one of the most effective medicines which help kill the mites. You need to apply this medicine from the neck to the toe and leave it overnight. After about 12 hours, wash it off with warm water. This process needs to be repeated after about a week so that all the mites are removed from the body.
Ivermectin
This is an oral, antiparasitic medication which has shown to be effective in treating this infection. The FDA has still not approved this medicine, and therefore you need to ensure that you take this drug only after consulting a dermatologist.
Sulfur
If applied in the form of ointment or cream along with petrolatum, it may be quite effective to treat this skin condition. However, the FDA has still not approved the use of sulfur as an option to treat scabies. Therefore, it should be applied only if other methods of treating the condition have failed. There are no known side effects of using sulfur by pregnant women.
Crotamiton
This lotion is another treatment option which is available. This medicine has been approved to be used in adults, but not in children.
Natural Remedies
There are several natural remedies that may help treat this skin condition during pregnancy. Products made from nature are free of harmful chemicals, and therefore there are no side effects.
- Tea tree oil is an effective remedy against this condition. While applying this oil, make sure that you apply it along with a carrier oil since concentrated tea tree oil may harm the skin. The oil not only soothes the skin, but also kills the parasites.
- Neem oil, is another option which may be used. You need to apply this oil on the whole body from the neck to toes for better results.
Scabies does not affected the unborn baby or the mother-to-be. However, you need to get medical attention immediately, or else the condition might deteriorate. It may be treated successfully if you follow the instructions of your dermatologist.
Disclaimer: This HerHaleness article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
