Obstetric cholestatis

A liver disease which causes a pregnant women to experience widespread and severe itching. Other symptoms can include pale or white stools, dark urine, stomach pain and jaundice. A blood test can be used to help identify the condition. It is usual to delivery the baby early as the risk of stillbirth is high after 38 weeks gestation. Localised itching, especially over the abdomen, is common in pregnancy and not linked to this condition.

Oedema

Some retention of fluids during pregnancy is usual and can lead to swelling, noticeably of the hands and feet. This is called oedema. Severe oedema can be one of the indicators of pre-eclampsia.

Oxytocin

The hormone secreted by women when they are in labour which stimulates labour contractions. The same hormone also stimulates milk flow from the breasts by contracting the muscle fibres in the milk ducts.