Amanda Ley is 40-year-old mother of three beautiful children; Toby (6), Gemma (5) and Zoe (2). She has just moved back to Sydney from Brisbane and now resides in Willoughby. Amanda has a small marketing & design business run from home, but spends most of her time looking after her hectic family. During her second pregnancy, she developed a rare condition that can have tragic consequences. Here, she shares her story to help raise awareness with other pregnant mums.
I was 36 weeks pregnant with my second child. I didn’t feel very well, always exhausted and itchy, but I thought nothing of it, after all I already had an 18-month-old boy with boundless energy. I told myself baby number two is always different because you can’t put your feet up whenever you want.
Then I went for my obstetrician appointment. This appointment was different because my husband was able to come with me. We sat down and my doctor asked (as he always did): ‘How are you feeling?’. I gave my usual response: ‘Good, except for the usual pregnancy ailments’. My husband however told the obstetrician that I wasn’t sleeping, was always exhausted, and was itchy all over.
Here started my Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) journey.
I was immediately admitted to the hospital as an outpatient, and blood tests were ordered. I spent eight hours at the hospital that day, as me and my baby’s health were thoroughly checked.
The next week was one of the hardest I have ever been through. I didn’t understand what was happening, I had no idea what ICP was or how it would affect the little girl I was carrying, and on top of this I had to hold it together for my son.
I googled ICP and what I found sent shivers down my spine. ICP can result in premature delivery, fetal distress and stillbirth. I didn’t want my baby to die, so I focused on her movement. I spent almost every day in hospital, only going home at night. Then on 22 June the doctors told me that I needed to be induced.
At 37 weeks and 2 days my beautiful little girl Gemma was born. The itching stopped, and I finally got some sleep.
I felt so lucky. Before my diagnosis I had never heard of ICP, and if my husband hadn’t been at my obstetrician appointment I would have continued to put my symptoms down to general pregnancy issues.
Three years later I had another ICP baby (ICP carries a 90% chance of reoccurring). This time I was prepared, and it was therefore a very different experience. I found a website called ICP Care that told me everything I needed to know about the condition. I was well informed and knew the symptoms I was looking for. My doctor and I had a plan in place, and in my mind my baby was always being delivered at 37 weeks.
My second daughter is now a beautiful, happy two year old.
I have been lucky, but there are mums out there who haven’t been. They have lost their babies because of ICP. I urge you that if you have a partner, friend or even an acquaintance that is experiencing an itch during pregnancy, let them know to tell their Doctor. Don’t ignore an itch during pregnancy, it can kill.
