"This pregnancy was so uncomfortable and painful"
Call The Midwife's Helen George has opened up about suffering from cholestasis of pregnancy.
The condition was highlighted during last night's emotional episode of Call The Midwife so the actress felt it was the right time to talk about her own personal experience.
Helen is a mum to two daughters- Wren and Lark.
She gave birth to her daughter Lark in November 2021.
She explained that she suffered from the condition during both of her pregnancies, but it was significantly harder during her second.
"I knew there was a high chance that I would suffer again with my second pregnancy, but I was under the most incredible specialists/doctors/midwives/health worker at Guys and St Thomas’s. So I felt safe."
"I started getting the itch a lot earlier with this pregnancy and it was infuriating. I tried everything, creams, baths all of it and nothing would work."
Helen revealed she would "scratch all day and all night".
She ended up being put on medication when she was 30 weeks pregnant.
"My bile acids- whilst up and down were stable because of this, so I knew Lark was okay and the pregnancy progressing well. But the medication did little for the itch and urge to scratch myself raw.
"I have to say this pregnancy was so uncomfortable and painful."
The actress explained that pre-term birth is often a possibility with this condition and this happened during her second pregnancy.
Her obstetrician had to perform an emergency C-section.
She revealed her daughter Lark was born on November 16th, 2021.
"The relief when we heard her first cry was overwhelming, a release of months of anxiety and the fear that this moment may not play out quite so successfully. Lark was born early but healthy and is doing so well."
Helen praised ICP support for helping her through her pregnancy and for always being there for her whenever she had questions.
She encouraged other women to seek help if they think they have Cholestasis in Pregnancy.
"Spreading the word about this sometimes fatal condition is really important to me. I was over the moon that Call the Midwife tackled the subject last night."
