The brown stripe on the belly is not pregnant. The brown line on the abdomen in pregnant women why does it appear and when does it pass. How long will the dark line be present on the abdomen

Each person has a “white line” in the middle of the abdomen, consisting of connective tissue. Usually it does not differ in color from the surrounding skin. But in women, during the period of gestation, the hormonal background changes, which affects the intensity of pigmentation throughout the body. The timing of the appearance of a dark strip on the abdomen during pregnancy is individual: for some in the first trimester, for others later.

Causes of the appearance of a dark stripe on the abdomen

The "white line" of the abdomen stretches from the pubic bone to the ribs. Its fibers are composed of collagen and are designed to connect the rectus abdominis muscles. Normally, this area is painted in a light shade.

During pregnancy, 90% of women observe the appearance of a dark strip on their stomach. A similar phenomenon is associated with the active work of the adrenal glands and sex glands, which produce a large amount of the following hormones:

progesterone;
estrogens;
melanotropin.

Melanotropin is a hormone that stimulates the formation of melanocytes - the cells responsible for the intensity of skin color. Its intensive production leads to the appearance of age spots, moles. An increase in the level of melanotropin is the main reason for the coloring of the “white line” of the abdomen in black, darkening of the nipples and skin around the navel. Additional negative effects of hormonal changes during pregnancy include active growth of body hair.

The increase in the intensity of the color of the vertical strip on the abdomen every week is due to the rapid growth of the uterus. The skin in this area is increasingly stretched and thinned, which makes the "white line" more visible. Therefore, at the end of the term, a vertical strip on the abdomen is always observed, even in the absence of increased pigmentation throughout the body.

The timing of the appearance of the strip

Some women observe the appearance of a dark strip in early pregnancy, when they only find out about their interesting position. In this case, it is only slightly different from the color of the surrounding tissues. More often, this phenomenon begins to be observed towards the end of the first trimester of pregnancy.

Many women note the formation of a dark strip only during the period of intensive growth of the abdomen, after 6-7 months. This does not mean that such a pregnancy develops pathologically. The process of production of hormones responsible for skin pigmentation is individual for each person and depends on many external and internal factors.

The list of factors affecting the intensity of skin pigmentation

Dark-skinned women are more prone to developing a dark stripe on their belly.

The intensity of the effect of infrared radiation on the body of a woman significantly affects the process of the appearance of a dark stripe. The severity of pigmentation on the skin depends on how much it will be in direct sunlight.

The stripe on the abdomen has a more intense color in women who have naturally dark hair and eyes. Their body releases more melanotropin even in the absence of pregnancy. In women with blond hair, this process is less pronounced. Their belly stripe will darken later and change color to a lesser extent.

The timing of the disappearance of the strip on the abdomen

If a dark line appears on the belly of a pregnant woman, there is no need to panic. This is a natural phenomenon that does not require the intervention of doctors. It can be uneven, reach the navel or the level of the ribs - this is normal.

Skin pigmentation will begin to disappear only 6-12 months after childbirth. This is a long process, which is directly dependent on the hormonal background of a woman. Breastfeeding mothers observe the streak longer. This is due to the increased activity of their adrenal glands and other endocrine changes in the body.

To prevent increased pigmentation, it is not recommended to sunbathe during pregnancy.

It is impossible to remove the strip on the abdomen during pregnancy. There are only a number of recommendations to prevent its occurrence:

Long walks in hot weather should be avoided. In summer, it is recommended to go outside only after applying sunscreen to exposed areas of the body. Sunbathing on the beach is allowed early in the morning or in the afternoon.
After the onset of pregnancy, it is necessary to completely abandon the solarium.
It is advisable to limit the consumption of black tea and coffee - they affect the production of melanotropin.
Stressful situations, anxiety should be avoided, which provokes a surge of hormones and can affect the intensity of pigmentation on the body.
It is necessary to include in your diet a sufficient amount of dairy and sour-milk products.

Women who are categorically against pigmentation during pregnancy can use special bleaching agents from the first weeks. You should choose creams on a natural basis without mercury, hydroquinone, AHA-acid. They will not completely eliminate the problem, but they will make it less pronounced.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for age spots

To reduce the severity of pigmentation on the abdomen, you can resort to the use of folk remedies. With regular use, they will help whiten the skin without harm to the body of the expectant mother and child.

To reduce the intensity of the color of the strip on the abdomen, the use of natural lemon or cranberry juice is allowed. They rub the problem areas of the skin several times a day. Sweet peppers are allowed. A puree is made from it, which is applied daily to a strip on the stomach for 30 minutes.

Useful mask, consisting of ground parsley and cucumber. The freshly prepared mixture is applied to the problem area and kept for 20 minutes. To obtain a whitening effect, the use of fermented milk products is allowed. A piece of gauze is moistened in kefir or yogurt, after which it is applied to the strip for half an hour. After such procedures, it is recommended to apply a nourishing cream to the skin.

To get rid of increased pigmentation, lotions from yarrow infusion are useful. To prepare it, a teaspoon of herbs is poured into 255 ml of boiling water. This mixture should be infused for half an hour, after which it should be filtered through a strainer. In the resulting infusion, a cotton pad is moistened, with which the darkened skin is thoroughly wiped. This procedure is repeated daily for several months.

Folk omens

There are many signs associated with the appearance of the strip on the abdomen during pregnancy. At a time when there was no ultrasound diagnosis, the method of determining the sex of a child on this basis was very popular. Several variants of such signs have been collected:

If the strip starts from the pubis and ends near the navel, there is a high probability of having a daughter. When the dark line reaches the level of the ribs, there will be a son.
When the pigment strip goes around the navel, there is a high probability of a male child being born. If the line crosses it, a girl will be born.
A bright stripe on the abdomen indicates the birth of a girl, a dull one indicates a boy.

The formation of a saturated line in the center of the abdomen also indicates the birth of a balanced and calm baby. This is due to the fact that elevated levels of the hormone melanotropin affect the body's resistance to stress.

Very often, women during pregnancy notice a dark strip on their stomach that runs vertically from the navel downwards and, as it were, divides the stomach into two equal hemispheres. Future mothers understand that this phenomenon is directly related to their “interesting” position and the processes taking place at that time in the body. However, the strip on the abdomen during pregnancy sometimes becomes a cause for concern. But should you be worried about her? Or would it be more correct to perceive this phenomenon as due and physiologically justified?

Dark stripe on the tummy - what is it?

The vertical dark strip that appears during pregnancy on the stomach of expectant mothers is nothing more than a manifestation of increased pigmentation against the background of an increase in the amount of hormones produced by the mother's body. It starts at the base of the navel and ends before reaching the pubic area. Although it is possible that this band may begin much higher (near the ribs). But it always passes from top to bottom and clearly cuts the stomach into two parts.

In scientific circles, this dark strip is called a little differently - the white line of the abdomen. She received such a name because she really has a white color, and darkens only during pregnancy.

Reasons for the appearance

A dark stripe on the belly of a future mother can appear at any time, it depends on the individual characteristics of the woman's body. Someone begins to notice it in the first trimester, and someone just before childbirth. In most cases, the strip is visible as early as the fourth month of pregnancy, but this is not considered a determining factor.

The white line of the abdomen is formed by tendons, the fibers of which include collagen - in fact, everyone has them. This line is the border for the abdominal muscles - they are to the right and left of it. In the region of the white line, muscle tissue is replaced by tendon.

The reason is that during pregnancy, the white line begins to change its color - at this time, the stomach begins to grow, its muscles stretch, stretch, and therefore it becomes more noticeable. The endocrine glands in a pregnant woman work more intensively, this also applies to the adrenal glands, which produce more melanin, so the white line becomes brown.

Usually this phenomenon is associated exclusively with changes in the hormonal background and the intensive production of hormones such as melanotropin, somatotropin, estrogen and progesterone. When a dark strip appears on the abdomen during pregnancy, there is no cause for concern - the level of hormones is normal.

A dark line on the belly of a pregnant woman indicates that the level of hormones is normal.

Somatotropin

As a rule, a dark strip appears in the center of the abdomen, that is, it coincides with the vertical of the body. Growth hormone is a hormone that affects the growth of muscle mass, that is, it is he who accelerates the growth of the walls of the abdomen during pregnancy.

In the place where the white line of the abdomen passes, there is no muscle tissue. Here, only connective tissue is present, which performs the function of separating the two parts of the body. Somatotropin during pregnancy ensures the growth of the abdominal muscles to the sides, in connection with this, the white line of the abdomen is stretched. This stretching of the connective tissue leads to the fact that it becomes thinner and lighter. It is due to the hormone somatotropin that the formation of the basis for the formation of such a phenomenon as a dark stripe on the abdomen occurs. But it has no effect on its color.

Melanotropin

The color of the dark strip on the abdomen, as well as its intensity, directly depend on the production of another hormone - melanotropin. It also affects the stress resistance of a woman's body during pregnancy, and its production is regulated by the activity of the endocrine glands of the unborn baby. Immediately after they start working, a dark stripe appears on the mother's tummy.

It is worth noting that this hormone accelerates the production of melatonocytes, which produce pigment. But not only melanotropin affects the formation of this unusual phenomenon, estrogen and progesterone are also involved here.

Women almost always notice that closer to childbirth, the color of the strip becomes darker. This directly indicates the production of a large number of hormones. With each subsequent pregnancy, the strip becomes more saturated in color and appears at an earlier date.

The strip for each expectant mother has its own individual parameters of shape, shade and size. For some, it is pronounced, while for others it is not visible at all.

Do all expectant mothers have it?

A dark stripe on a pregnant tummy does not always occur and not in all expectant mothers. Every tenth woman does not notice its occurrence at all. Until now, there is no exact scientific justification for this phenomenon. However, purely hypothetically, scientists believe that owners of dark skin tones, as well as dark hair and eyes, are most susceptible to the appearance of a dark stripe. In white-skinned and fair-haired women, the strip does not appear so often, and if it does, it is not so pronounced.

But do not think that everything depends only on the color of the skin, hair, eyes. The geographical area of residence is also of no small importance, since the amount of vitamin D entering the body directly depends on it.

It is almost impossible to avoid the appearance of a stripe, but you can significantly reduce the saturation of its color. To do this, stop visiting the solarium and take sunbathing to a minimum.

Remember that the presence of a dark strip or its absence does not indicate any diseases, and even more so does not affect the course of their development.

When will the strip disappear?

Surely many expectant mothers are interested in whether the dark strip from the abdomen will disappear and when it will happen. Do not be afraid: the strip will disappear immediately after your hormonal levels return to normal after childbirth.

In most cases, dark pigmentation of the white line of the abdomen disappears within six months after the birth of the baby. Although there are cases when a strip on the abdomen remains in a woman for several years.

If you are breastfeeding your baby, be prepared for the fact that during this period the strip will not disappear. But this is not a reason to stop breastfeeding. What does some pigmentation mean compared to the health and well-being of your beloved baby? Moreover, even if later, but the strip will still return to its previous state, that is, it will become light.

Removal Methods

Any woman will not like the appearance of a dark strip on her stomach, but you need to understand that in some way it is almost impossible to influence this process. However, you can influence the saturation of its color. For this purpose, contact with UV radiation must be kept to a minimum.

If you are sunbathing, be sure to apply sunscreen to your skin (preferably with an SPF of at least 25). Give preference to creams containing titanium oxide or zinc oxide - it is cosmetics based on this that are recognized as safe for pregnant women.
But not only the sun affects the color of the strip, the diet of the expectant mother also plays an important role. So that the strip is not dark, you need to exclude meat and fatty dishes from it. Black tea and coffee should also be avoided.
Eat more foods containing vitamin C. Foods containing vitamin B9 will also bring maximum benefit. It has been scientifically proven that it is the lack of these vitamins that leads to increased skin pigmentation.
During pregnancy, you need to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, replace tea with a rosehip drink.
By agreement with the doctor, you can drink a course of multivitamins.
If even after a long time after the birth of the baby, the strip has not disappeared, consult a beautician. Getting rid of pigmentation is quite easy, thanks to modern hardware methods of cosmetology, even one session will be enough. Peeling, ultrasonic cleaning, etc. are usually used. But remember that these procedures can only be done a few months after childbirth.

In no case do not be shy and do not be ashamed of the dark stripe! It indicates that you will soon become a mother. Isn't that happiness and pride?

Folk omens

If you believe folk signs, you can determine the sex of the unborn child by the dark strip on the belly of a pregnant woman. So, if the strip is not very bright or not quite even, and ends at the base of the navel, then a girl will be born, and if, on the contrary, it is clear, even, saturated, and ends at the ribs, then a boy will be born.

This popular belief has no scientific justification. Doctors are sure that the dark strip that appears on the tummy of the expectant mother is not a means of determining the sex of the baby. It is simply considered a sign that the pregnancy is proceeding normally. But you can check, you will not harm anyone by doing this.

The dark stripe that appears on the abdomen of a pregnant woman appears as a result of hormonal changes. Its presence, or, on the contrary, its absence, should not be a cause for concern, since all this is due to the individual characteristics of the body of each expectant mother, and does not affect the course of pregnancy or the development of the fetus in any way.

Pregnancy is a sacrament, as a result of which a person is born into the world. The new position of a woman provides for many changes in her body, not only internal, but also external. To fully enjoy your pregnancy, you need to know what "surprises" you can expect. Changes will not frighten and alarm a woman if she is ready for them. Pigmentation during pregnancy is a common phenomenon.

The nipples, labia darken, the face may become stained. Especially a lot of questions are caused by a strip on the abdomen in pregnant women. It occurs in 90% of cases.

Causes of stripes on the abdomen in pregnant women

Many future mothers notice that their tummy is visually divided into two parts due to the strip that has appeared on their body. But there is no need to worry about this. The pigment strip is an individual and temporary phenomenon. For some, it may be lighter, for others it may be darker, and for some it may be completely absent.

Its appearance is due to hormonal changes that occur in a woman's body when she is in position. The main participants in the process are progesterone and estrogen. They provoke the secretion of the hormone melanotropin, which produces cells that give the skin a dark color. Due to pregnancy, the pigment is distributed unevenly throughout the body.

Doctors explain the appearance of the stripe by the fact that there is no muscle tissue in the middle of the abdomen, but only connective tissue is present.

As the belly grows, it stretches and becomes thinner. Therefore, a dark stripe appears in this place. She is not fraught with danger, so the expectant mother may not worry. This process is reversible, and after childbirth it will disappear.

In women, this " attribute"may differ in color and concentration:

in some it runs through the whole abdomen;
someone is located from the pubis to the navel.

It is noteworthy that in women with fair skin and hair, it is less noticeable, and sometimes absent altogether. The strip darkens with each month of pregnancy, and becomes dark brown closer to childbirth.

Factors for the appearance of a strip on the abdomen in pregnant women

It is very difficult to say unequivocally why some pregnant women have a stripe on their stomach, while others do not.

Scientists have identified a pattern: swarthy women with dark hair and brown eyes see this “decoration” more often.
The appearance of a dark strip on the abdomen in pregnant women is influenced by climatic conditions, the amount of vitamin D entering the body.

There are no such measures that would allow avoiding this "attribute". To reduce the appearance of the strip, you need to avoid direct sunlight and completely abandon the solarium.

When does a stripe appear on the abdomen in pregnant women?

It is impossible to predict the exact date of its appearance. Some women observe it in the early stages, in others it occurs closer to childbirth. Experts say that the strip, like other first signs, indicates that a new life has arisen in a woman.

When the strip appears in the first trimester, it will be light, almost invisible. As the concentration of hormones in the body increases, it will darken. Many women are frightened when she turns blue before giving birth. But this is considered a variant of the norm, so you should not worry.

When does a stripe appear on the abdomen in pregnant women?

Often they notice hyperpigmentation on their body after 12 weeks, sometimes it appears only in the third trimester.

Each case is individual, there are no rules and regulations in this matter. Therefore, you do not need to worry and compare yourself with other women in a position, look for flaws in yourself and think about why she appeared.

Of course, all pregnant women are interested in whether this "attribute" will disappear.

This may take from 2 months to several years. There are times when she turns pale, but the trace still remains. As a rule, in subsequent pregnancies, it will darken earlier and more strongly, but there are exceptions.

In no case should you try to remove the "label" by any dubious means. Pigmentation is justified by the characteristics of the body, so you just need to be patient and wait until it turns pale and disappears. Arguing with nature is dangerous, and worries about this can adversely affect the development of the fetus.

Signs of a strip on the abdomen in pregnant women

All the changes that occur to the female body during pregnancy have a scientific explanation. But since ancient times, people have been trying to predict the gender of the child, its features.

To find out who you have to be born - a boy or a girl, it is enough to do an ultrasound. But many women willingly believe in signs and try to guess the sex of the baby by the shape of the abdomen, taste preferences, and their appearance. Such a sign of pregnancy, like a strip, can also tell something interesting.

When did you get the stripe?

Most women develop a dark vertical line on their belly during pregnancy. And although future mothers are aware that a new life is developing in their body and therefore their body is undergoing various changes, such a “decoration” of the tummy still, at least, arouses curiosity, and sometimes becomes a reason for excitement. What would that mean?

Dark stripe on the abdomen during pregnancy: what is it? A dark stripe on the abdomen is nothing more than a manifestation of hyperpigmentation. The strip is a thin vertical line that runs from the navel down to the pubic area. In some cases, the strip "grows" up to the level of the ribs. The strip is always located vertically in the center of the abdomen.

In fact, this strip is present in all women, but at a time when a woman is not pregnant, this line is completely invisible. The darkening of the strip on the abdomen during pregnancy is due to increased pigmentation of the ligament located in this area (“white line”).

Will I get a dark line during pregnancy? According to statistics, 90% of women develop a dark line on their abdomen during pregnancy. Dark-haired and swarthy women are most likely to have a stripe.

Why does a dark line appear on the abdomen during pregnancy? The exact cause of the appearance of a dark line on the abdomen in pregnant women is unknown, but it is believed that this is due to natural increased levels of the following hormones:

Melanotropin (a hormone that stimulates melanocytes - cells that produce pigment and increase the risk of darkening of the skin, freckles and birthmarks);

estrogen;

progesterone.

As you can see, there is no cause for concern.: the appearance of a strip on the belly of a pregnant woman indicates that everything is going as it should with regard to hormones.

When does a dark line on the abdomen usually appear in pregnant women?

In some women, a dark stripe on the abdomen appears at the very beginning of pregnancy and even acts as a sign of it. At first, the strip may be light, and over time it begins to darken. Most often, pregnant women notice a line starting to darken on their stomach after 12 weeks. Also, a dark strip on the abdomen may appear in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Obviously, each case is different.

How long will the dark line be present on the abdomen?

The strip on the belly of a pregnant woman gradually begins to become darker, due to an increase in hormone levels. The line usually disappears shortly after childbirth, but in some women it brightens but is still visible. With subsequent pregnancies, the strip on the abdomen tends to appear earlier and is more visible.

Is it possible to prevent the appearance of a strip on the abdomen in pregnant women or get rid of it during pregnancy?

The strip should disappear on its own after childbirth.

Ways to prevent the appearance of the strip are quite limited:

Use sunscreen

Try to stay in the shade during peak solar activity

Wear loose clothing while outdoors

Sun- the main source of vitamin D, which is essential for the health, growth and development of bones.That is why it is important for pregnant women to strike a balance: not to reduce sun exposure to a minimum (trying to prevent the appearance of a strip), but also not to get involved in sunbathing.

The amount of vitamin D each person needs depends on many factors, including a person's skin type, season, location, and more. On average, 30 minutes of sun exposure (during low activity periods) per day will be enough for a pregnant woman to get a good dose of vitamin D.

Dark stripe and gender of the child

Folk sources contain information that the gender of the unborn child can be recognized from the strip on the stomach: they say, the light line that ends at the navel indicates a girl, and a pronounced dark line that stretches to the ribs indicates that it will be born heir. Fortunately or unfortunately, there is no scientific confirmation of this at the moment.

Now we can confidently conclude the following: a dark strip on the abdomen during pregnancy is not a magical tool for predicting the sex of the unborn child, but only an indicator that a new life is developing correctly in a woman’s body. You should not be embarrassed by a dark strip on your stomach, and even more so, you should not try to remove it: this "Order of the Future Mother" should be worn with pride!

Why does it appear and when does it go away

A dark stripe on the abdomen of pregnant women (Linea nigra) is the result of active pigmentation (hyperpigmentation) of the skin. The path that appears is a black or brown vertical strip from the inguinal region to the navel, it can rarely reach the ribs. The strip appears as a result of ongoing changes in the body of a woman who is preparing to become a mother. Under the influence of hormonal changes, the band begins to darken and increase.

Fortunately, such transformations are temporary: after childbirth, the dark streak almost always disappears completely. Therefore, a pregnant woman should not worry - hyperpigmentation on the abdomen does not threaten the health of the mother and child.

Causes of the stripe

Every person has a line on the stomach, regardless of gender, and is an inconspicuous white line (Linea alba), merging with the skin. This pathway separates the abdominal muscles and is made up of tendon fibers.

During pregnancy, the strip gradually begins to acquire a bright shade. This happens due to the following reasons:

Active production of the hormones progesterone and estrogen;
The production of melanotropin, which causes darkening of the skin.

The active synthesis of hormones occurring in the body of a woman causes significant changes in the appearance of pregnant women. During the period of gestation, the amount of female hormones - estrogen, progestogen, progesterone, somatotropin - increases several times. This is enough to notice the obvious transformations of the female body.

The action of somatropin is aimed at the growth of muscle tissue. There are no muscles in the middle of the abdomen, and connective tissue acts as a connection between the right and left rectus abdominis muscles.

The hormone somatropin tries to increase the volume for the development of the unborn child. In this regard, the process of tissue stretching begins (it becomes thinner and more transparent) and the white stripe on the abdomen becomes wider and more noticeable. And other hormones are already responsible for the pigmentation of the line.

The color of the band is determined by the hormone melanotropin (an anti-stress hormone), the synthesis of which is promoted by the nascent fetus. At the time of the functioning of the glands in a child, pigmentation begins. If a baby is born light-skinned, and during pregnancy a woman had a dark stripe on her stomach, this means that he has a strong resistance to stress.

It is thanks to the production of hormones that hair appears on the abdomen and the nipple halos begin to darken.

Size, color saturation and stripe width are individual factors. As a rule, the darker the band becomes, the better the development of the fetus. However, the path does not appear in all pregnant women: according to statistics, in 10-30% the dark band does not appear at all. Also, the presence of a pigment line is affected by the color of the skin, eyes and hair (for example, brown-eyed brunettes have a higher chance of having a stripe than light-eyed blondes).

Dark band appearance time

The pigment strip can appear both at the beginning of pregnancy and at the end of the gestation period. The time frame depends only on the hormonal background of the woman and her specific characteristics of the body (genes, skin type, etc.). Most often, the strip darkens towards the end of the second or third trimester.

If the woman's pregnancy is the first, then it is likely that the strip will appear only at the end of the term. Those who carry a child again, the chances of a line appearing at the beginning of pregnancy are higher.

In addition to pigmentation, pregnant women experience increased hair growth. This is a natural process that also depends on the functioning of hormones in the body. During pregnancy, male hormones are produced in the adrenal glands, which affect the active growth of hair throughout the body. They, in particular, can appear on a woman's stomach in the region of the dark stripe.

Band disappearing process

As a rule, the pigment line on the abdomen persists throughout pregnancy and disappears only after childbirth. The time for which the strip ceases to be visible varies from 3 months to 1.5 years.

It is not possible to name the exact time period due to the different hormonal levels in each woman. In exceptional cases, the track may not disappear. The dark line only gets lighter, but will become stronger in subsequent pregnancies.

Preventive measures

The appearance of a pigmented line cannot be completely prevented. However, there are several ways to make it less noticeable:

Avoid strong sun and other sources of ultraviolet radiation. In this case, melanin is not released in large quantities, which contributes to a lower brightness of the band.
Use sunscreen and temporarily limit visits to the solarium.
Healthy food, especially rich in vitamin C (greens, currants, peppers, etc.).
Eat foods containing folic acid (nuts, spinach, liver, cabbage).
Drink less coffee, tea and eat fatty meat after childbirth.

Folk omens

It is believed that the size, color and presence of a strip on the abdomen can predict the sex of the unborn baby even before the ultrasound. This method of determination was used long before the invention of special medical devices. To date, there are more effective methods for determining the sex of a child, however, the "grandmother's" method also takes place.

The people said: if the line is short, light and not very pronounced, then you should expect a girl. If the stripe is dark, long and bright brown - a boy.

However, doctors reject this method of determination. Of course, coincidences occur, but this method is not scientific and has no justification, so you should not rely on it.