What does the woman's line have to do with?

When a woman becomes pregnant, in the middle of pregnancy (around the fourth month), a linea gravida will appear on her belly, with the depth varying among different pregnant women.

In fact, it has already existed when you are not pregnant, and it exists in both men and women. Its scientific name is "white line". The reasons for this, from a medical perspective, are as follows:

White Line

It is a linear band formed by the fusion of the aponeurosis of the abdominal muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, with muscle fiber tissue attached to it. It runs from the xiphoid process of the sternum through the navel to the pubic symphysis, forming a midline that divides the left and right sides of the belly. Apart from being the attachment point for human muscles, it has no functionality itself.

In fact, some people have more pigmentation, so this line can be vaguely seen below the belly button, but it is not obvious for most people.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy cause pigmentation to form this line

For a pregnant mother's belly, this line is a killer that affects its appearance. As the belly gradually expands and pushes outward, the line becomes more prominent. At this time, the "white line" is renamed the "midline of pregnancy" because the line becomes darker and clearly visible for most mothers during pregnancy, hence the name.

After pregnancy, due to the imbalance of estrogen and androgen secretion during pregnancy, the pigmentation becomes darker and more severe, causing pigment deposition in the lower layer of the skin. This causes the white line on the abdomen to become pigmented and gradually turn into a black line, which is the linea gravidarum. 90% of pregnant mothers will have a pregnancy line.

Maybe you will ask: Why are some pregnancy lines very shallow and some very deep?

The time of the pregnancy midline is different for each pregnant mother, and it will be affected by the pregnant mother's personal constitution, age, skin color, and hormone levels. Usually, the midline gradually appears after the pregnant mother's belly bulges, and it is more obvious in some mothers in the later stages of pregnancy.

Generally speaking, pregnant women with fair skin who are not easily marked by acne will have a lighter pregnancy line; while pregnant women with dark skin who are prone to pigmentation (such as wounds that easily leave marks, etc.) will have a darker pregnancy line. Of course, this is just a general statement and there are exceptions.

What should I do with this line? Don't worry.

After understanding the reasons for its formation, what you care most about is when this line will disappear. It usually disappears gradually within a few months to a year after delivery. For some mothers, it disappears after one or two years or does not disappear completely. The time it takes to disappear varies from person to person.

Of course, if you are worried that this line will stay with you for too long, there are some preventive measures you can take.

From the second trimester of pregnancy to one month after delivery, you can use special anti-stretch mark lotion or ordinary olive oil for body care, 1-2 times a day is appropriate. Massage according to the instructions to promote full absorption of the lotion, which can reduce skin tension, increase the elasticity of the skin surface and dermis, make the skin stretch, accelerate the disappearance of pregnancy lines, and also has a good effect on preventing stretch marks.