Pharmafile Logo

Why We Must Stop Normalizing the “Pregnancy Itch”

February 18, 2026 | HearFromHer, RareDisease 

In the world of rare diseases, success is often measured by the speed of diagnosis. However, for women facing rare liver conditions like Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP), the medical system often defaults to “normalizing” debilitating symptoms.

- PMLiVE

Listen to the full episode here.

In the latest episode of the Hear From Her podcast, Tatyana Kushner (Weill Cornell Medicine) and Andrea Goldstein (Mirum Pharmaceuticals), discuss why this status quo is dangerous. While ICP might present as “just an itch,” it is a complex condition where elevated bile acids can lead to severe risks for the infant, including respiratory distress or stillbirth.

The Data Behind the Disparities Recent research led by Dr. Kushner suggests a 70% recurrence rate for ICP in subsequent pregnancies. Furthermore, the data reveals significant racial disparities; for instance, while Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) was long thought to be a condition primarily affecting Northern European women, it is now clear that women of color face significant barriers to diagnosis and access to care.

Listen to the full episode here.

The Future of Care: Genetics and Advocacy

  • Genetic Insights: Lowering the threshold for genetic testing can help women understand their risks before they even conceive.
  • Interdisciplinary Action: Effective management requires a “bridge” between hepatologists and OB-GYNs to ensure symptoms aren’t dismissed at the first point of contact.
  • Clinical Courage: Despite the challenges of conducting trials in pregnant populations, “compassionate use” programs and innovative research are paving the way for new treatments.

As Andrea Goldstein puts it, “Every failure in a study leads to key learnings that help us be successful the next time.” For the modern clinician and patient alike, the goal is clear: don’t just learn the system—have the courage to change it. Listen to the full episode here.

Follow us for updates on upcoming podcasts and more insightful conversations.

For more information, please contact Jelena Spyropoulos.

 

About Medscape Education

Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free CME and CE courses for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professional

This content was provided by Medscape Education

Company Details

 Latest Content from  Medscape Education 

Medscape Oncology Launches Inaugural Medscape Fellows Program at ASCO 2024

Medscape Oncology is excited to announce the launch of the first-ever Medscape Fellows Program at the 2024 ASCO meeting in Chicago, Illinois. This groundbreaking program aims to nurture young oncology...

Navigating Food Allergy Management: Trends, Treatments, and Decision-Making

Are you having trouble navigating the management of food allergies? Join our faculty experts for a live conversation on social media to learn about the evolving complexities in food allergy...

The Power of Patient Insights to Improve Cancer Care

Two global patient advocacy groups—The Lymphoma Coalition and Lung Cancer Europe— are compiling data from their communities on the real-world experience of living with cancer. What the data reveals sometimes...

Medscape Education Continues Its Patient-Centric Mission at EHA 2024

Anticipation is building at Medscape Education as the team prepares for the EHA 2024 Congress. Medscape Education is excited to announce a significant presence during the congress including a Medscape...

Getting in-sync with Public Health at SYNC 2024

Medscape Education is bringing its public health efforts to Washington, DC for the SYNC conference on HIV, HCV, STIs, Harm Reduction, and LGBTQ health. During the conference, Lindsey will present...

Medscape Education and KDIGO Nephrology Collaboration Accelerates Improvements to Patient Care

Ahead of the 61st European Renal Association (ERA) Congress, Medscape Education and KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) announce an educational collaboration through a series of webinars to improve anemia-related...

Medscape Brings Impact and Data to ESPGHAN

The ESPGHAN Congress in Milan was full of impact as Medscape Education Global presented 5 scientific posters examining the outcomes of their education. The posters detailed the impact Medscape Education...

Empowering Nurses Through Education

Nurse education is powerful and makes an impact.

Pioneering Paths: Women Leadership in Rare Disease

Rare diseases are often thought of as affecting one in 100,000 or one in 1,000,000 people, and that is true for some conditions. But there are many rare diseases that...

TRANSFORMING CME IMPACT: MEDSCAPE’S GAME-CHANGING APPROACH

It’s time for the CME industry to evolve. During recent years, access to data, modern technologies, and methodologies have allowed for deeper analysis of data and a better understanding of...