Former beauty queen, Nicole Phelps, is the wife of legendary Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps.
She and Micheal are the proud parents of two little boys, 3-year-old Boomer Phelps and 1-year-old Beckett Phelps. And they are currently expecting their third child soon.
However, like with her first two pregnancy, Nicole is opening up about the condition she has had to deal with while pregnant with her three children. As the mom explained on Instagram, Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is commonly known as Cholestasis.
In the post, Nicole revealed the warning signs that sent her to the hospital, which later lead to a third diagnosis:
**#icpawareness aka Cholestasis** I went to the doctor this week after 3 nights of itching and a little pain under my right rib – not sure if it’s the babe’s butt or a warning sign… They drew blood and hooked me up to a fetal heart rate monitor.
Lab results will take a few days to come back, but all signs point to a positive ICP test again. Of course, there’s still concern but my worries are a little less knowing that my doctor can ensure the safety of our baby. In June, I did a podcast for [The Birth Hour] talking about my last 2 pregnancies, which led to 2 healthy, beautiful boys even though I had ICP with both. My sole purpose to share this story is a hope to spread awareness of ICP and hopefully help save another mommy’s babe.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ICP is a liver condition that occurs in late pregnancy. The website states that “the condition triggers intense itching, but without a rash.”
Most often, the “itching usually occurs on the hands and feet.” However, it can also affect other parts of the body. Other symptoms of ICP can include:
- Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
As the Mayo Clinic reports, expectant mothers who are experiencing any of these symptoms late in their pregnancy should seek medical attention immediately as ICP can cause birth complications.
While talking with “The Birth Hour” podcast Nicole said it was during her 36th week of pregnancy while pregnant with her first son, Boomer, that she started getting really itchy on her palms and feet.
The mom added that she wants to share her experience with ICP because it is “so rare” that often doctors don’t test for it or recognize the symptoms.