Fans fear for Gemma Atkinson after revealing pregnancy health scare
FANS of Gemma Atkinson have been left frought with worry after the radio host revealed she was suffering with a potentially serious pregnancy health condition.
The former Hollyoaks star, 38, who is expecting her second child with fiance Gorka Marquez, shared with fans that she was suffering with itchy skin.
And while itchy skin is normal during pregnancy due to raised hormones or the skin stretching as the baby grows, it could also be a condition called , also known as Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy.
And Gemma's fans wasted no time in penning their concern.
One fan said: "On a serious note, if your belly is itchy, you might have something called OC. My daughter in law had this in her pregnancy so get it checked out x."
Another fan said: " Pls get checked out for O.C, I had it in both pregnancies, quite severely during the 2nd 1."
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And a third fan insisted Gemma seek help when she said: "Please, please, please get the itching checked."
Commonly known as OC, it is a condition that needs medical attention as it could be a potentially serious liver condition developed during pregnancy.
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant who met Gorka while on the hit BBC dancing show in 2017, has not been without her woes during her second pregnancy.
She recently asked fans to give her advice on whether any of them had a c-section followed by a vaginal birth, as it has been playing on her mind.
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The former actress has a traumatic experience when she gave birth to her daughter Mia, three, via c-section.
She recently said: "I'm just jumping on, I'm just over four months with this little fella here who is not so little actually, he's big."
What is Obstetric Cholestasis ?
Obsteric Cholestasis (OC) is a potentially serious liver disorder that can develop during pregnancy
- Normally, bile acids flow from your liver to your gut to help you digest food. In OC, the bile acids do not flow properly and build up in your body instead.
- There's no cure, but it should go once you've had your baby.
SYMPTOMS
- The main symptom is itching, usually without a rash. For many women, the itching is often worse at night and more noticeable on hands and feet.
- Other symptoms include dark urine, pale poo & jaundice
TREATMENT
- Regular liver blood tests and bile acid measurement tests
- Aqueous creams to ease the itching
Source: NHS England website
She added: "Did any of you have an emergency section following a vaginal birth? I don't want to say 'normal' birth as nobody's birth is normal."
She then continued: "I'd be lying if it's not something I'd thought about – last time, for Mia, it didn't go as I'd imagined that it would. I'm just looking for a bit of [help] if anyone has experience."
