An expecting mom shares her account of experiencing a rare pregnancy symptom called blue sweat pregnancy

A very pregnant 24-year-old named Keisha Sethi experienced blue sweat pregnancy, an extremely rare type of pregnancy symptom where would-be mothers sweat blue-colored liquid off their bodies for a certain period of time. The British woman shared this information with her audience on TikTok, writing,

"Mama’s has anyone experienced this? Does it affect baby in any way? - I did call the maternity helpline but they said they’ve not heard of it & weren’t really helpful😭 ⁣ ⁣ I feel like a squid 🦑 ⁣ ⁣ #weirdpregnancysymptoms"

Unaware of what it meant, the woman sought medical help, but it was to no avail. However, after getting a proper assessment following the collaborative efforts of both her and her husband, she could finally figure out the problem. Speaking about the same, Keisha said:

“It turns out it was just my skin and the sweat changing color due to hormones."

Here, she seems to be talking about a very rare type of idiopathic disorder known as apocrine chromhidrosis, which occurs due to the secretion of colored sweat from the apocrine glands that are spread all over the human body.

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What is blue sweat pregnancy and what causes it?

An expecting mother experienced a very rare pre-birth symptom known as blue sweat pregnancy ((Image via Tiktok - @fitnesswithkeisha)

Blue sweat pregnancy is a rare type of pregnancy symptom that affects women who are expecting. It usually occurs due to fluctuations in the hormones in the body of pregnant women, resulting in the secretion of colored sweat from it. Much like the condition itself, diagnosis for such types of symptoms is also extremely rare, which means, oftentimes, these disorders remain undetected and undiagnosed.

The disorder is clinically known as apocrine chromhidrosis, which occurs due to the secretion of colored sweat from a gland known as the apocrine glands that are located in the axillae, areolae, and anogenital skin. It is also found on the surface of the skin of the face, trunk, and scalp.

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What is the treatment plan for blue sweat pregnancy or Apocrine chromhidrosis?

After consulting several doctors, Keisha Sethi was finally able to understand the reason behind her peculiar symptoms (Image via Instagram - @fitnesswithkeisha)

There is no specific treatment that can cure blue sweat pregnancy or Apocrine chromhidrosis. However, there are some treatments that can momentarily relieve the symptoms. These include:

• Topical capsaicin cream: This cream is capable of reducing substance P, a neurotransmitter that is significant in the production of sweat in the apocrine glands.
• Botulinum toxin type A injections: These are muscle relaxants that can be used to relieve the symptoms for some time.

Both of these can be used to momentarily reduce sweating. However, the moment its effect on sweating ceases, the symptoms recur.

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As blue sweat pregnancy is extremely rare, there are high chances of it going undiagnosed and undetected in most cases. Therefore, if you notice any peculiar symptoms during pregnancy that you are unaware of, it is best that you consult a doctor at the earliest possible time.