Why is there a line on the belly after pregnancy?

Pregnancy makes every woman go through an unprecedented physiological change, with various physical discomforts, such as a deep or shallow line on the originally smooth belly. Many people wonder, will it disappear slowly in the future? What is the reason? Will it disappear automatically or will it be with you forever? What can we do? Let's answer your questions!

1. Everyone actually has this line, but the depth varies.

When you become pregnant, in the middle of pregnancy (around the fourth month), a pregnancy line will appear on your belly, and the depth of the line will vary from one pregnant mother to another.

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:

The linea alba is a linear band formed by the fusion of the aponeurosis of the abdominal muscles of the anterior abdominal wall. Muscle fiber tissue is 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.