Still new at this, hope it makes sense. I heard that when you are pregnant a line will show up that goes from your belly button down. If so at what part of the pregnancy did you notice yours? And is it a line caused by hair growth or a change of color of your skin, and how wide is the line?
The line is called the Linea Nigra. It's caused by hormones. If you just do a search on the web, you will get tons of information about it.
My line started showing up around Week 17 if I recall. Mine runs above and below my belly button...the entire length.
It's not very wide. I'm sure you will find plenty of pics on the web if you look. I was dreading the Line before it came, but when it did show up, I was okay with it pretty quickly. I'm more concerned about stretch marks than the line.
Gayle
the line is from the seperating of the abdominal muscles, some get it some don't, I don't have it and I am 31 wks pg now, not saying I may still not get it, but I have not yet. good luck.
I always heard it was a pigmentation line and that not everyone gets one. I didn't get it with my 1st pregnancy and to new to know if I will get it now.
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Teresa,
Kaleb 6/23/04 aftr TTC 4yrs
Miscarried 12/31/04 @ 6wk 5 days
It's a GIRL EDD Jan 12, 2006
This is my 4th pregnancy & I have NEVER had the line down my belly with any of my kids. Not everyone gets it. I have seen the line on more dark skin women then light skin women. My friend had the line and she was naturally tanned.
I'm just into my 23rd week and the line hasn't shown up yet. I used to think that every woman got that until I started watching all of those birth shows. Quite a few of the women don't have the line.
I got the line some time in my 2nd trimester. It's above and below my belly button. I'm in my 35th week and so far no stretch marks. I'll take the line over stretch marks any day.
Hi, I have a very faint brown line that runs from my belly button down and a few centimetres above it as well. It's only a couple of milimeters wide and it certainly doesn't bother me at all. My DH hadn't even noticed it until I pointed it out. I have no idea what causes it but have heard that dark skinned women tend to get more noticeable lines. No stretch marks for me either (yet...).
I'm not sure when it appeared, I think I noticed it at about 28 weeks. About the time I started getting a proper bump anyway.
The line is NOT caused by muscle separation, it is caused by an increase in pigmentation which turns a usually invisible "white" line into a brown one. I got one from my belly-button down at about 4-5 months. Im white, but a little olive-skinned. You should buy a book about pregnancy, it will tell you all about the little changes that can occur during pregnancy. Someone gave me one as a gift with my first pregnancy, and it was a godsend. Lots of strange things can happen to your body, and it really helps to have the info at hand.
Oh my! I've just noticed today that my line now goes almost all the way to the top of my bump as well as all the way down! I have fair skin but I also have a lot of freckles and moles, so if it's an increase in pigmentation that would make a lot of sense to me.
Line from belly button down 
