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Noticed a dark vertical line between your belly button and pubic area lately? That's your linea nigra, and it was actually always there – it's just looking a little darker by around week 23 of pregnancy.

WHAT CAUSES IT?

Pregnancy hormones, which are also responsible for your newly darkened areolas as well as an impressive variety of other skin anomalies, are behind the darkening of your linea alba (Latin for “white line”) – that's the white line between your belly button and your pelvis that you never noticed but was there before you got pregnant. When you're expecting it becomes the linea nigra (Latin for “black line”) as skin all over your body becomes hyperpigmented (you might also notice the skin on your face darkening too – that's known aschloasma, the “mask of pregnancy”). Yep, another weird little stripe you've earned just by becoming pregnant.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Your baby is completely cozy and content inside your belly, even though there's some wacky stuff going on outside. The linea nigra is likely to be more pronounced if you have darker skin, but never fear: It fades a few months after your baby is born. A fun old wives' tail: if it runs only up to your navel, you're having a girl – but if it runs past your belly button to up near your ribs, it's a boy.

WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

Sit tight – after your baby is born, the line should gradually fade all on its own. But a couple of quick tips can help make it less pronounced in the meantime:

• Cover up. Spending too much time working on your tan can intensify skin discoloration during pregnancy – so use sunblock (at least SPF 15), or keep your belly under wraps.


• Eat well. There's some evidence to indicate that skin discolorations are related to folic acid deficiency. Make sure you're eating a healthy pregnancy diet with plenty of folic acid from green leafy vegetables, oranges, and whole-wheat breads and cereals (but don't stress it, you're getting plenty in yourpregnancy supplement, too). Whether it minimizes your linea nigra or not, it's certainly good for your baby.


• http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/symptoms-and-solutions/linea-nigra.aspx