Intraheptic Cholestasis of Pregnancy, often called just cholestasis, is a relatively rare condition that occurs in late pregnancy.  It is characterized by nearly unbearable itching, particularly on the hands and feet.  I had never heard of cholestasis until I was about 36 weeks pregnant with my first child.  At the time, there was very little information available on the Internet and my doctor had no idea how to treat it.What is Cholestasis?
Cholestasis is a liver malfunction that causes excess bile acids to be secreted into the bloodstream.  Those acids are what cause the insane itching on hands and feet – I could literally watch myself scratching holes in my hands and be unable to stop because the itching was so intense.

Symptoms
The most prevalent symptom is the intense itching and may be the only symptom you experience.  Other symptoms are typical of many liver disorders and include dark urine, light colored bowel movements, tiredness, depression and lack of appetite.

Treatment
There is little to be done to treat the cause of cholestasis, and the only cure is delivery of the baby.  Experts used to insist on inducing the baby by 38 weeks because of a risk of stillbirth, but there has been little information to back up this claim of stillbirth and I personally have carried two babies full term with no ill effects.  What you can do is try to relieve the itching, and my doctor gave me the best gift ever when he suggested taking Zantac and Benadryl, both in the 12-hour doses, at the same time.  I was able to make it through my last few weeks of pregnancy with little or no itching, just by taking those two medications in conjunction.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about symptoms and treatments, because there are other conditions that may interfere with taking over the counter medications.