A NICU nurse in our hospital called me to ask about a friend of hers who
gave birth last week.  Every time this mom breastfeeds, she breaks out
in an itchy rash which becomes unbearable and she has to take the baby
off the breast.  Within a short time, the rash disappears.
I have very little information on the type of rash, on the actual
duration and the location.  I have asked that the mother contact me
directly, but it is a religious holiday here and I am working full time,
so she may not be able to reach me. From the description the nurse gave
me, it does not sound like urticaria to me.
I think it is triggered by oxytocin, but again, until I speak to the
mom, I can't get enough info to determine.
I just wondered if anyone has come in contact with such a problem
before.  I searched the archives, and found nothing similar.  A medline
search produced one study which mentioned that oxytocin can trigger
allergy to latex in obstetrical setting, but that is all. So maybe the
surge of oxytocin is triggering something, but if so, she had to itch
terribly during the delivery, and during sex for that matter.
I asked a dermatologist who said he had not come across such a case, and
he recommends Fenistil drops twenty minutes before a feed to help her
handle the pruritus.
Any ideas?
TIA
Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Lis Maternity Hospital
Tel Aviv, Israel
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