Linea nigra
The linea nigra is a dark, vertical line running down your belly. Also called the pregnancy line, it shows up in most pregnancies, but is more noticeable in women with dark skin or hair. The linea nigra appears because of high levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy, which can make some areas of the skin look darker. After pregnancy, the line on the stomach will usually fade within a few weeks.
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American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Patient FAQs: Skin Conditions in Pregnancy. Last reviewed June 2020. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/skin-conditions-during-pregnancy [Accessed March 2021]
Tunzi, M and Gray, G. Common Skin Conditions During Pregnancy. American Family Physician. January 2007. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2007/0115/p211.html [Accessed March 2021]
Motosko CC, Bieber AK, Pomeranz MK, et. al. Physiologic changes of pregnancy: A review of the literature. International Journal of Women's Dermatology. October 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5715231/ [Accessed March 2021]
Vora RV, Gupta R, Mehta MJ, et. al. Pregnancy and skin. Journal of Family Medical Primary Care. October 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4311336/ [Accessed March 2021]
Deepi Brar is a longtime health and science editor who has worked with BabyCenter, CVS Pharmacy, Rally Health, and other health teams to produce engaging, accurate content for everyone.