Image credit: @kellyrowland Instagram
You’ve probably heard about the usual pregnancy side-effects, but some are less commonly spoken about. Whether that’s extra body hair in places you didn’t know hair could grow! Or the fact that your heart actually gets bigger during pregnancy to allow it to pump more blood to you and your baby. Kelly Rowland has recently spoken about a side effect of pregnancy that she has described as “the most bizarre thing ever”.
The singer is talking about some skin darkening she has noticed happening over her pregnant belly.
Melasma in pregnancy
The skin darkening that Kelly has referred to is called melasma. It is completely normal and nothing to worry about. Not everyone will experience skin darkening and it is more common in women with darker skin types and less common in fair or very dark skin. There are lots of hormonal changes taking place in your body during pregnancy, which is thought to be the cause of this pigmentation.
Melasma can happen all over your body or in patches and can also affect birthmarks, moles and your nipples. Some people notice a dark line developing down the middle of their stomach. Any changes like this gradually fade after the baby is born, and usually disappear within a year.
More on pregnancy symptoms
If you have any concerns about pregnancy side-effects you are experiencing, you can always talk to your midwife for advice and reassurance.
We have information about pregnancy symptoms to watch out for.
