What is that line running down my belly?
What is the line that shows up in late pregnancy, running down from the navel?
Question:Peg Plumbo CNM
Peg Plumbo has been a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) since 1976. She has assisted at over 1,000 births and currently teaches in the... Read more
The dark line is called a "linea nigra" -- dark line! It is a common sign of pregnancy and usually happens only when the abdomen is somewhat distended. It is thought to be hormonally initiated and there is nothing anyone can do to get rid of it. Fair skinned women do not have this as often as women with darker pigmentation. Staying out of the sun does help to reduce pigment changes with pregnancy.
This line does not necessarily go away after the baby is born but it does get a bit lighter.
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