Skin Changes in Pregnancy

Thoughts from: 

Theresa Blahut, Student Midwife, MMCI

Along with the physical discomforts of pregnancy, skin changes may become an annoyance for expectant mothers.   Having to deal with increased vascularity, hyperpigmentation and stretch marks can be difficult but rest assured that these conditions are temporary and will subside in time after birth.

Chloasma or melasma gravidarum; commonly known as the "mask of pregnancy", occurs throughout the face in three main patterns.  The first most common  (63%) is in the center of the face involving the forehead, cheeks, nose, lips and chin.  Less commonly, the malar (21%) involves the cheek and nose.  The least common pattern occurs in nine percent along the edge of the jaw.  Little is known about the cause of these pigmentations, however, a melanocyte-stimulating hormone has been found to be elevated during the latter half of the first trimester until birth.

Chadwick's sign is the characteristic violet color of the vagina during pregnancy.  This is thought to be caused by the increase in vascularity. The vagina goes through preparatory changes during pregnancy for maximum stretch during labor and birth.

Striae gravidarum is another term for stretch marks.  Our skin has three layers; the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutaneous layer.  Stretch marks occur in the dermis that is the stretchy middle layer that allows skin to retain its shape.  When the dermis is constantly; stretched as in pregnancy, the stretch marks occur.  Skin becomes less elastic over time and the connective fibers tear leaving marks behind.

Linea negra is a skin pigment condition where the midline of the abdominal skin becomes darker, usually a brownish color.  The linear streak runs vertically along the midline of the abdomen from the symphysis pubis to the xyphoid process.  An old wives tale states that if the line runs to the naval, it is a girl and if the line extends all the way to the xyphoid process, it is a boy.