Research Blurb

One of the things that is frustrating about PUPPPs is that there is very little research done on it since it is "harmless for mom and baby." Obviously, whoever decided this had never experienced it. We need answers! WHY does this happen?? If we found out why, then we could treat the root cause instead of trying to pacify the symptoms! 

I have a nursing background, so research fascinates me. Whenever I come across research, I'll post it here. But I'll also try to summarize it for the less nerdishly inclined. 

Here is a case report done by some folks at Columbia University:

Read the article here.

It tells the story of a PUPPPs sufferer who developed the rash in the 3rd trimester and had a COMPLETE healing before her pregnancy was over. It only took a week! It sounds like her relief came from a mild steroid lotion (fluticasone) applied a couple times a day. The author was eager to see more docs try Fluticasone, since it was not the typical drug most OBs prescribe for PUPPPs. Now, this was only helpful for one woman. Some doc out there needs to do a follow-up study seeing if it helps lots of women!

However, it might be worth asking your OB about it. 

The article also went into a summary of other research they had combined. Even the author admitted that these factors were "controversial." No one seems confident in them. Here are the high points:

• No relationship to mom's weight gain. (said one study)
• More common when mom gains too much weight. (said another study)
• More common in twins and triplets.
• More common in pregnancies where mom is carrying a boy.
• Possible relationship to high blood pressure in pregnancy.
• Rash is usually not seen on the belly button.

All those points are laughable to me, since NONE of them apply to me, but perhaps they are helpful for another PUPPPs sufferer out there.