Hyperpigmentation is one of the “little disadvantages” of pregnancy. It affects mainly the face in the form of pigmented marks. But did you know that a mother-to-be can also get brown spots on the stomach during her pregnancy?
Summary
During pregnancy, women have higher levels of female hormones, which stimulate melanocyte activity and hence the synthesis of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color. All this leads to hyperpigmentation on the body. Most of the time, this hyperpigmentation affects just certain areas of the face, and is commonly called melasma, or “pregnancy mask”.
But brown spots on the stomach may also appear. More specifically, these brown spots appear near the navel as a brown line, or “linea nigra”. This is because, during pregnancy, the white line on the stomach between the pubis and the navel can become more pigmented. This “linea nigra” can sometimes extend beyond the navel to the sternum.
All pregnant women may find new brown spots on the stomach during pregnancy.
Women with mixed or dark skin and women who expose their stomachs to the sun without protection are more likely to have brown spots on the stomach than others.
It is also thought that women with a vitamin B9 deficiency are more prone to developing brown spots on the stomach. Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, is a vitamin found in many food categories, including fruits and vegetables.
Unlike a “pregnancy mask”, which rarely disappears all by itself, a “linea nigra” will gradually fade and eventually disappear on its own, requiring no particular treatment.
