Reasons For Breast Colour Change During Pregnancy

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Motherhood is a very exciting phase in any woman's life. It is full of surprises, especially if you are going to be a new mom. You never know what might come your way over the course of the nine months. Even though you may know about the possible changes that might happen to the body, there are others which are less discussed and given less importance to.

Of course, prominent changes happen to the tummy and breast size. Breasts also become fuller during this time. For some women, the breasts also leak colostrum - a light yellowish fluid high in nutrients, supposed to provide resistance to babies. Veins also might be seen due to the increased blood flow.

But have you heard of the change in breast colour, colour change in the nipples and areolas to be exact? Yes, this does happen to any pregnant woman as early as the first trimester and the change is much more visible in women with pink areolas. Aren't you intrigued about the cause of it? Read on.

Hormones
As in every other change that happens to the body during pregnancy, here too, the hormones are the first culprits. Both oestrogen and progesterone are responsible for this. The sudden rise in pregnancy hormones is said to increase the production of melanin - the substance that imparts colour to hair, eyes and skin.

As a result, with more and more melanin being produced, the skin around the nipples get darker.

Exposure To The Sun
Though there aren't any proven studies to support this, it is believed that exposure to the sun for long hours too can cause darkening in the breasts. Exposure can increase production of melanin - the skin darkening substance, leading to darker nipples and areolas.

Evolutionary Adaption
This is a more satisfactory explanation than any of the others for hyperpigmentation of the breasts. Newborn infants have blurry vision. Scientists say that the colour darkens to help the babies to see properly during breastfeeding. By this, the babies can latch well and get assured of a healthy feed.

How Long Does The Colour Change Last?
Experts say that the change in colour of the areolas and nipples are just temporary and can get back to normal after giving birth. To be exact, the colour remains almost the same for moms who breastfeed and might reduce once they stop it.

A dip in the colour can be seen fairly sooner for moms who don't breastfeed. However, for some women, the darkening stays all through their lives. But, this is completely normal and isn't a medical condition to be worried about.

Other factors which determine the back-to-normal possibility are genetics, BMI, weight gain, smoking status, and many others.

Other Changes That Happen To The Areola And Nipple

The nipples start to stick out more prominently. They might also swell up and develop sensitivity. There is always a tingling sensation. The areolas increase in diameter to a large extent as the date of delivery nears.

In other words, the darkened area on the breasts increases significantly. Other than this, one can also find tiny bumps on the areolas. They are nothing but Montgomery's Tubercles. They are glands that secrete a kind of oil to keep the nipples lubricated and crack-free.

In fact, studies say that the oil increases the appetite of the baby being fed. Other than this, hair growth can also be seen around the areolas.