Abbie Herbert was 37 weeks pregnant with her third child in December 2025 when she began recording a daily vlog until her baby was born. In one of her early videos on TikTok, where she has over 15 million followers, Herbert scratched her palms without thinking. Viewers quickly noticed and began commenting. One person pointed out that if someone is experiencing a lot of itching on their hands and feet during pregnancy, it could be a sign to contact a doctor for testing related to intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Herbert, a 29-year-old content creator from Pittsburgh, thought her symptoms were just a flare-up of her eczema. With two previous pregnancies, she didn’t think it was anything serious. However, she still decided to research ‘cholestasis’ and felt her symptoms didn’t fit the description, which emphasized severe itching. Despite her initial dismissals, both her mother and ChatGPT encouraged her to consult a doctor for safety.
A few days after posting, Herbert noticed a rash on her palms that resembled tiny broken blood vessels, although it wasn’t particularly itchy. Remembering the warnings from her followers, she took a picture of her hands and sent it to her doctor, although she hesitated because it seemed minor. The doctor’s office responded quickly, asking her to come in for blood tests. Results revealed that her bile acid levels were about twice the normal limit. By the next morning, her doctor instructed her to go directly to the hospital.
What had been a planned shopping day for baby supplies turned into a necessary C-section, and her son, Rocky Blue, was born safely two days after she received the initial comments on her video. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a liver issue that typically arises in the third trimester, affecting bile flow and causing bile acids to build up in the blood, which can present risks for the baby if not treated. Herbert’s case was unique because it had visible symptoms rather than the usual intense itching.
In a subsequent post in October, she advised others that if they experience itching in their hands or feet late in pregnancy, they should consider asking their doctor for a bile acid blood test. Many other mothers commented that they found and addressed the condition similarly after hearing her story. One viewer mentioned how, thanks to Herbert, she informed her doctor and had a C-section at 38 weeks. The experience highlights the importance of awareness in pregnancy. Have you or someone you know faced similar health concerns during pregnancy?
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Source: Upworthy, by Adam Albright-Hanna