What is linea negra pregnancy
These color changes happen because of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which your body produces in larger amounts to help your baby develop. Estrogen and progesterone stimulate cells called melanocytes in your skin, causing them to produce more melanin, the pigment that tans and darkens your skin.
Increased melanin production is what makes your skin change color during pregnancy. At some point during your second trimester, you may notice a dark brown line running down the middle of your abdomen, between your belly button and pubic area. This line is called the linea alba. When melanin production increases during pregnancy, the line gets darker and more obvious.
Soon after your baby is born, the linea nigra should start to fade. In some women, though, it may never completely disappear. And if you get pregnant again, expect to see that line reappear. That may help the line fade more quickly.
If the line really bothers you during pregnancy, try concealing the line with makeup until it fades. Updated October 08, Save Pin FB More. Linea Nigra. Emma Darvick. Credit: Emma Darvick. Be the first to comment! No comments yet. Close this dialog window Add a comment.
One theory is that the melanocyte-stimulating hormone created by the placenta is the main contributing factor. This hormone is also believed to cause the darkening around the nipples. There is nothing you can do to prevent the pregnancy line.
It is a natural part of pregnancy. The good news is that it usually lessens and fades away shortly after the birth of your baby. Compiled from the following resources: Johnson, Robert V. Cunningham, F. Gary, Leveno, Kenneth J. Maternal Physiology in Williams Obstetrics 22 nd edition Linea nigras can be crooked, completely straight, or squiggly, and none of these are any cause for concern.
Like the popular Nub Theory or the ancient Chinese birth chart , there are some old wives tales about pregnancy that say you can predict the gender of your baby by analysing your linea nigra. Unlike the Nub or Skull Theory which rely on a scan photo to determine the sex of your baby, to work out if your are having a boy or girl using your linea nigra all you have to do is look at your stomach and the way the line extends across your skin.
In the days before modern medicine, newborns were left with mum skin-on-skin straight from birth. It was in this time that baby would instinctively shimmy up the belly, nuzzling to find the breast. No, the linea nigra is not harmful at all. Its seemingly sudden appearance might seem shocking at first, but experts have agreed the line is cosmetic and is not going to harm mum or baby.
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