Source
Symptoms
Typically, the PUPPP rash will appear during the third trimester of pregnancy. Your baby’s growth rate is very rapid during this time, especially during the last five weeks of pregnancy. It’s most likely to occur during a first pregnancy and during a multiples pregnancy, where the skin stretches even more. During your pregnancy, sometimes your skin stretches faster than your skin cells can keep up with. This can cause stretch marks to appear.
PUPPP usually begins on the abdomen and spreads to other extremities within a few days. The rash appears as small, pink spots that appear in the stretch marks. Eventually, the rash may start to come together and form large, red, plaque-like areas. Blisters can sometimes form around the rash. These plaques can then spread from the stomach to the:
- buttocks
- thighs
- arms
- legs
No one’s really sure what the causes are. Unlike most other symptoms of pregnancy, PUPPP doesn't appear to be the result of increased hormone levels. One theory suggests that fetal cells invade the mother's skin during pregnancy, causing an itchy belly to develop. Another theory says that it is genetic and can be traced through the father's side. In any case, PUPPP usually appears in the third trimester and disappears after childbirth.
