Pregnancy hormones can bring about changes to the skin, hair and nails. All of these changes are normal and will resolve soon after the birth of your baby:

• Higher levels of estrogen, progesterone and pigment-stimulating hormones can cause skin to darken somewhat on the breasts, genitals, armpits, inner thighs and sometimes on the face.
  
  
• Often, a dark line called the linea nigra appears along the midline of the abdomen, stretching from the pelvis to the ribcage.
  
  
• In rare cases, women develop small, slightly itchy rashes while expecting. This condition is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP), which can be quite uncomfortable.
  
  
• Some women notice more and darker hair on their face, arms and legs, while the hair on their scalp may be thinning, especially around the face.
  
  
• Nails may become brittle or form grooves.

This message is not intended to provide individual medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have about your health or medical condition, your breastfeeding issues and your infant's health. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you have read in our emails, webpages or other electronic communications.

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