Paresthesia of Pregnancy

Paresthesia of pregnancy (PB) is a temporary subjective discomfort (usually numbness, burning, tingling on the skin), localized mainly on the hands, although it can also occur in other areas of the upper half of the body during pregnancy. PB does not affect maternal or fetal health in the short term and usually disappears after delivery. Long-term stays may cause neurological or other complications. Spontaneous pregnancy is not considered PB. The exact number of women with PB cannot be determined. There is at least one large US study suggesting that approximately 80 million women will experience paresis during pregnancy in their lifetime.

The origin of the PB term "gravidarum" ("in pregnancy") is somewhat uncertain, but it is unlikely that it had any special meaning. The official medical name for the disease was adopted by the International Federation of Midwives in 1932 at the suggestion of the Washington Association of Midwives. The name PB was first used in a text by the Berlin Medical Association in