Pregnancy hives at night: what to know

Hives, also called urticaria, result from temporary release of inflammatory chemicals in the skin. Heat from bedding, sweating, pressure from clothing, a new detergent, infection, food, or medicine can trigger a flare. Individual welts often fade while new ones appear elsewhere. Hives can occur without an obvious trigger, and pregnancy-related skin changes can make itching harder to tolerate at bedtime.

Swelling around the lips, eyelids, tongue, or throat can accompany hives and is different from a small isolated welt. A rash that stays fixed in one place, bruises, blisters, or causes marked pain needs a clinician's assessment because it may not be simple hives.

Keep the bedroom comfortably cool, use a cool damp cloth for short periods, and wear loose breathable sleepwear. Choose a fragrance-free cleanser and moisturiser, avoid scratching, and keep nails short. Review recent changes such as laundry products, supplements, medicines, foods, or new fabrics. Do not start an over-the-counter antihistamine or steroid tablet without pregnancy-specific advice; a clinician can explain whether an antihistamine treatment is suitable and when stronger treatment is warranted.

Seek emergency help immediately for trouble breathing, throat or tongue swelling, faintness, confusion, or rapidly worsening facial swelling. Contact your maternity team promptly if hives are widespread, repeatedly disturbing sleep, associated with fever or feeling unwell, or begin soon after a new medicine. A clinician should also review a persistent rash that does not behave like migrating welts.

Ask which pregnancy-compatible antihistamine, if any, fits your symptoms; whether another condition such as angioedema should be considered; and whether a new product, medicine, or infection could be contributing.