Linea Nigra - what is yours like?

[*Beema*]

I was just doing some research on the net about the Linea nigra, and found this snippet from Wikipedia with another wives tale at the bottom ... interesting..

Linea nigra (Latin for "black line") or linea negra (altered by influence of Spanish negra) is a skin pigment condition during pregnancy where a brownish streak less than a centimeter in width develops. The line runs vertically along the midline of the abdomen from the pubis to the xiphoid process - the bottom-most part of the rib cage in the center or tip of the sternum.

It is caused by pregnancy hormones that increase production of the pigment melanin. This is also known as hyperpigmentation. Fair-skinned women show this symptom less often than women with darker pigmentation. Before it appears it may be more faintly visible as a linea alba ("white line").

Linea nigra tends to appear around the second trimester and may or may not disappear within a few months after birth. Some research suggests there may be a link between linea nigra and insulin. Supplementing the diet with folic acid is said to reduce the discoloration.

There is an old wives' tale associated with linea nigra: if the linea nigra runs to the navel, it's a girl, and if it goes all the way up to the xiphoid, it's a boy.

Mine goes about 2 inches past my belly button - so in the middle!! But I definietly know what we are having!!

Where does yours go to and are you having a boy or girl?

[Hoody]

Mine was barely visible and only went to my BB not past. I had girls both times. I found mine was more noticable after birth when the skin wasnt so stretched.

[Jewel]

I don't think I can see mine.


I think my stretchmarks are covering where it would be??
I'm not sure. lol

[Olive]

i never had one, i did have a small pigmentation blob off to one side, whiter than my already pasty white skin

[fionas]

Well strangely, I've always had a very faint one - from childhood - but it didn't darken when I was pregnant at all. I had a girl.

[Indadhanu]

I've got a yellowish line... barely visible... and comes to my BB... and they say its a girl. So we'll see!!!

[satya]

We noticed mine emerge from the belly button down a couple of months ago. It's pretty faint. I'm very pale so it came as a shock when it started - I didn't think I'd get one. I also have a line going upwards over my belly but it looks more pinkish and this has only been noticable for the last couple of weeks so it could be a stretchmark (not sure yet).

We are 100% sure we are having a boy (amnio) so it will be interesting to see if the line develops further or if it does just end up being a stretchmark.

[MAT]

With Mackenzie the line appeared very early in the second trimester and was quite dark and it extended well past my belly button. With this pregnancy it has appeared very late in the second trimester and is no where near as dark as with Mackenzie - so maybe a boy this time around???

[mountain mummy]

I don't have one - either that or it is just not visible at all - and I haven't had one with any of my pregnancies ... maybe my skin is just too fair?

[Mumof2Girls]

With all my girls it was quite dark and went from my BB down. This one is paler and also extends up to my ribs. I'm having a boy this time around.

[~clover~]

I only had one with DD1. Only to my belly button. Was gone a few weeks after birth.

Didn't have it at all in my last 2 pg's, but my skin isn't as dark as it used to be. I usually have real dark skin, but since having kids, I don't get out in the sun as much. Maybe that's why I only got it the first time.

[~Trish~]

I had one with both my boys and it went up past my belly button both times. I still have mine now (DS2 is 7 months old!), it was quite dark when I was pg, but is slowly fading. It took ages to go the first time around too. I have Sri Lankan in my bloodline, maybe that's why I get such a dark line?

[ShootingStar]

I had one with DS that ran all the way up. It was still there at the beginning of this pregnancy.. But now has gone completely!

[Karina]

Mine went from my pubic hair to about 5 or so cms above my belly button... definately not as high as my xiphoid though. It was really dark and very obvious. I have a girl. Took around 10 months to fade completely I think. I was taking folic acid in my multi vitamin.

[dust]

i had one with DD along with tons of stretchmarks (it was dark line too didnt go above belly button) this time around no lines except a ton of silver stretchmarks!! dont know what im having. (i have been taking folic acid supplement)

[mgm]

mine goes all the way up to my bra-line and shows no signs of disappearing yet. had a little girl - so much for the old wives' tale!