Risk factors and causes of pregnancy rashes

The cause of rashes associated with pregnancy is not always clear, although theories have been suggested. For example, some experts believe that pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) is due to the stretching of skin that occurs during pregnancy, which damages connective tissue, exposing antigens that trigger an inflammatory response. Others believe the condition is the result of the mother’s exposure to certain circulating fetal antigens.

By their very nature, these skin rashes affect women in their reproductive years only. PUPPP appears to occur less commonly in Asians and African-Americans than in Caucasians.

Signs and symptoms of pregnancy rashes

Skin rashes associated with pregnancy are characterized by lesions that appear on the body and begin to spread. The nature of the lesions depends on the type of rash. The pattern of spread is also dependent on the type of rash. In most cases, rashes associated with pregnancy cause itching that ranges from mild to intense.