A: There are several types of itching problems women experience during pregnancy. Some women have psoriasis or other skin conditions that can be treated with topical medications to alleviate some of their discomfort. In most cases, the symptoms will ease with treatment.

Sometimes, women have a body-wide itch without any visible cause. We don't have a name for this complaint but it certainly exists. If you think this is what you're experiencing, I suggest a call to your obstetrician's office. They will probably have their own unique strategy to help you deal with this annoyance.

The most troublesome itching problem usually occurs in the third trimester. It is very annoying and body wide, and may be associated with a skin rash that starts on the abdomen and migrates toward the arms and legs. It can be incredibly annoying, keeping patients up all night scratching. These women always call their doctors because of the intolerable nature of the itching. Medications are helpful to ease the symptoms, but truthfully, the itching can persist until the baby is born.