Stretch marks during pregnancy: Why do some people get it, some don't?

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Pregnant women's skin changes a lot and is often stretched during pregnancy, causing cracks around the abdomen, hips and thighs. However, if you work hard to learn and avoid, pregnant women can completely prevent or help reduce stretch marks during pregnancy from the very first days.

1. When do stretch marks during pregnancy appear?

To be able to enjoy the happiness of being a mother, a woman's body will have to face many health risks, in which, stretch marks during pregnancy are a fairly common phenomenon that causes aesthetic loss and worry for pregnant women.
Pregnancy stretch marks often appear when the mother's body weight increases faster than the elasticity of the belly skin. Most pregnant women often have stretch marks on the chest and abdomen, followed by the arms, buttocks or thighs. Depending on the location of each person, stretch marks will be purple or red, white, and then gradually turn gray and black after birth.
Details of fetal development week by week, every parent should learn:

Most pregnant women can't know when pregnancy stretch marks appear, depending on the location of each person, according to statistics, up to 90% of women during pregnancy experience stretch marks when walking. In the 6th - 7th month of pregnancy, stretch marks will become larger and more frequent as the gestational age increases and the weight of the mother increases rapidly.
The color of stretch marks during pregnancy will depend on the skin of each person. For example, if a pregnant woman's skin is light-colored, the stretch marks are usually pink, and if the skin is darker, the stretch marks are often lighter than their skin color.

2. Causes of stretch marks during pregnancy

Not all women during pregnancy experience stretch marks. This condition is caused by the breakdown of collagen and the elastic layers of the tissue underlying the skin. The older pregnant women are, the greater the degree of stretch marks, so age is also considered one of the causes of increased stretch marks during pregnancy. The mother with multiple pregnancies can also be the cause. Causes stretch marks because the belly is bigger, the skin has to stretch more to create a comfortable space for the baby to lie in the womb. In addition, stretch marks during pregnancy can also be due to:
Change Normally, when entering the 3rd month of pregnancy, the endocrine glands in the mother's body will have more and more changes, at this time, the fetus and placenta in the abdomen will secrete a large amount of blood. Progesterone and estrogen hormone to strongly stimulate the formation of melanin precursor molecules that increase skin pigmentation. That's why stretch marks during pregnancy form and begin to darken, some mothers also appear dark spots.
Because pregnant women gain weight too quickly The structure of the skin consists of 3 layers: The outermost layer is the epidermis, the middle layer is the dermis and the innermost layer is the dermis. During pregnancy, the mother's body weight will increase rapidly, causing the skin to stretch for a long time and gradually lose its elasticity. To help limit stretch marks, you should try to control your pregnancy weight, only gaining a moderate amount, about 7-15kg during pregnancy.
Due to location Depending on the location of each pregnant mother, the degree and time of occurrence of stretch marks during pregnancy. For people with a stable skin structure, there will be less stretch marks, especially, stretch marks are also affected by genetic factors.

3. Who is prone to stretch marks during pregnancy?

The time when stretch marks appear during pregnancy depends on many factors such as location, genetics and weight gain. Although it is a common phenomenon, not all pregnant women are at risk of stretch marks during pregnancy. This also explains why some people have stretch marks, some people don't.
In fact, pregnant women whose mother or sister has been pregnant and has stretch marks will have a higher risk of stretch marks during pregnancy than others. In particular, pregnant women who are too old or too young (under 20 and over 35) will also have a high risk of stretch marks because the skin areas are still incomplete or have gradually aged. People who have had stretch marks during puberty will also have a high chance that they will experience them again during pregnancy. In addition, during pregnancy, mothers who take good care of their skin and ensure adequate nutrients will help increase skin elasticity and prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.

4. How to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy?

Almost every pregnant mother will experience stretch marks during pregnancy, however, there are still many methods that can help limit the appearance of stretch marks and at the same time fade stretch marks after birth quickly, They are:
Building a good diet for the skin, improving elasticity, thereby preventing pregnancy stretch marks from appearing such as: Strawberries, blueberries, spinach, foods rich in vitamin E , vitamin A, foods rich in omega-3, omega-6... Drink lots of water to help detoxify the body and keep skin cells soft and moist, thereby helping to keep skin healthy and beautiful and help stretch marks. Skin during pregnancy quickly disappears after childbirth. Exercise regularly during pregnancy to help maintain skin elasticity through improved blood circulation and help maintain a healthy weight. Pregnant women should only perform exercises suitable for pregnant women, gently, without spending too much effort. Proper weight control Be careful when choosing shower gel, shampoo or skin care products during pregnancy Choosing natural essential oils to nourish and exfoliate the skin Use sunscreen when going out on the street, especially on the chest, face and abdomen or places prone to stretch marks. Stretch marks during pregnancy usually appear in the middle 3 months of pregnancy, to minimize stretch marks, pregnant women need to take preventive measures right from the time of pregnancy. At this stage, pregnant women not only have stretch marks but also may have gestational diabetes, signs of premature delivery... Therefore, in the second 3 months of pregnancy, pregnant women need to pay attention:
Screening for fetal malformations comprehensive by superior 4D ultrasound technique. Screening for gestational diabetes, avoiding many dangerous complications for both mother and baby. Control the mother's weight reasonably to assess the health status of the pregnant woman and the development of the fetus. Understand the signs of threatened early delivery (especially in those carrying multiple pregnancies or having a history of miscarriage or premature birth) so that they can receive timely treatment to maintain pregnancy. To protect mother and baby during pregnancy, Vinmec provides a comprehensive Maternity service to monitor the health status of mother and baby, periodical antenatal check-ups with leading Obstetricians and Gynecologists. enough tests, important screening for pregnant women, counseling and timely intervention when detecting abnormalities in the health of mother and baby.
For detailed information about all-inclusive maternity packages, please contact the hospitals and clinics of the Vinmec health system nationwide.

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