Step One: Examine Your Symptoms

ICP is often a diagnosis of exclusion, which means that other conditions may be causing the same symptoms you may be experiencing. It is also possible that ICP is a secondary condition brought about by an underlying problem. Regardless of the cause, when bile acid levels are elevated in pregnant women, they pose a threat to the unborn baby and need to be treated. The following is a list of symptoms that often accompany ICP:

• Itching all over, but often more severe on palms and soles and can vary from person to person
• Dark Urine and/or Pale Stools (grayish in color)
• Fatigue or Exhaustion
• Sleep Deprivation from Itching
• Loss of Appetite
• Mild Depression

Less common symptoms include:

• Jaundice
• Upper-Right Quadrant Pain
• Nausea
• Severe Depression

Please note that itching is often the only symptom an ICP patient notices and it is often worse at night.

Step Two: Realize The Uncommon Nature of ICP

This is a very important step when seeking a diagnosis. It is very important that suspected ICP patients realize the uncommon nature of ICP and take into consideration the fact that their health care provider may not be fully educated about the possible risks ICP carries or the most up-to-date treatment. In the past, ICP was considered to be a benign condition, and some doctors may still regard it as such. It has not been until more recent years that studies have revealed the serious risks ICP poses. It is important that patients educate themselves by using medically substantiated information to ensure they are being treated according to current guidelines.

A few tips for discussing testing, treatment and care with your doctor:

1. When first mentioning ICP, it may be best not to mention you found the information on the internet, rather, print off a few medical journals from this site and take them with you.

2. Give your doctor a chance. If he or she is not familiar with ICP, help to educate them. If things don't go well after at least some effort on your part to inform them, or they are still unwilling to test or treat you for ICP, then it may be time to change doctors.

Step Three: Get The Proper Blood Tests

If you feel you are exhibiting symptoms of ICP, it is important to get tested as soon as possible. Time is of the essence when being tested for ICP for several reasons:

- The blood test that is needed for ICP is a specialized test that can take a week or longer to get back.

- Bile acids, the toxic substances that are causing the itching, pose the threat to the baby and can substantially increase within a very short period of time.

- The suggested medication can take 1-3 days to start reducing the bile acids.

Because of the above reasons, it is important you do not delay requesting the following tests:

Serum Bile Acid Test (SBA)

The most sensitive indicator for ICP is the Serum Bile Acid Test. It may also be called the Bile Acid test, the Bile Salt test, or the Total Bile Acids test. Bile acids are the substances that are being left in your bloodstream and causing the itching. Because certain bile acids are toxic, they pose a threat to your unborn baby. The SBA test will determine the level of these substances in your blood and confirm whether or not you have cholestasis. The SBA test is an uncommon blood test and may need to be requested by name. It is possible your doctor, midwife or nurse may not even be aware of the test or the need for it. The blood sample is usually frozen and you may need to fast before taking it. If your doctor's office is unsure of how to take the test, they can call the labs they work with to get more information. Lab Corp and Quest are two labs in the United States that run the test.

Click here to see actual results from a Serum Bile Acid Test (SBA).

Liver Function Test (LFT)

When bile acids are elevated, they affect the cells of your liver. This aggravation of bile acids causes your liver to release enzymes into the bloodstream. These enzymes can be measured with a Liver Function Test, also known as a Liver Panel. This test may or may not be elevated in ICP patients, therefore the LFT should not be used as the sole criteria for diagnosing ICP! This is very important as it is common for ICP to be misdiagnosed by using the LFT only. Be sure to have both tests run, and more importantly the Serum Bile Acid test.

Click here to see actual results from a Liver Function Test.

 

Learn more about Diagnosis.