Q&A
Weird Dark Stripe on Belly During Pregnancy
Question:
I'm expecting and currently in my second trimester. I recently noticed a dark vertical line on my lower belly. Should I be concerned?
What you're describing is linea nigra (literally "the dark line"), a dark vertical stripe that commonly appears on the abdomen between the belly button and the pubic area. Don't worry, it's normal for this weird little stripe to show up during your pregnancy (typically during the second trimester) and it's not a cause for concern.
Linea nigra is a skin pigment condition caused by pregnancy hormones that increase the production of the pigment melanin. These hormones are also responsible for your newly darkened areolas.
There are some who believe that linea nigra is a sign of a folic acid deficiency and supplementing your diet with folic acid is said to reduce the discoloration. Though this isn't confirmed, there's no harm topping up on folic acid-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, and whole-wheat breads and cereals, since it's very good for your baby's development.
This discoloration may be more obvious if you are dark-skinned, but no worries, it should fade after a few months after your baby is born.
