TOP 5 HORMONAL CHANGES DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT

One of the woman’s greatest joys and achievements in life is to give birth to a human being. There is no doubt that having a child is a wonderful experience. However, the majority of women didn’t know that pregnancy and giving birth changes you not only emotionally but also physically. Most often, you hear women complain about how they no longer look the same after they gave birth. The majority of the changes that happened during pregnancy are caused by hormones.

How Pregnancy And Childbirth Affects Hormones

Technically, a woman’s body produces a wide range of hormones during pregnancy to maintain it during pregnancy and sustain it during childbirth. The effects of these hormones have an impact on your body and in your everyday activities post-pregnancy. For example, Relaxin is a hormone released by the woman’s placenta, ovaries, and the uterine lining during the entire pregnancy period.

It prevents the contraction of muscles during the first two semesters of pregnancy. Relaxin also prevents premature delivery and ruptures the membranes around the fetus. It also opens and softens the cervix and the vagina and relaxes the ligaments of the pelvis to help during labor.

Prolactin is another hormone that stimulates the production of milk in the body and stays in the body as long as you breastfeed. This hormone could influence your immune system, metabolism, behavior, and fluids regulation. Prolactin is the obvious culprit of the water retention or edema and mood swings very common to women after they give birth.

Another hormone that plays a major role in breastfeeding and labor is Oxytocin. It stimulates the uterine muscle to contract and promotes the movement of milk into the breast. Most recent studies found that Oxytocin is crucial in one’s social behavior. It is responsible for anxiety, sexual arousal, trust, and recognition.

It is more popularly known as the love hormone and is responsible for the mother-infant bond. Most women feel unattractive and felt that childbirth took away their youthful appearance. While it is true that most of the weird changes in the woman’s body disappears after giving birth, some of them linger and are unfortunately for keeps.

Here are some of the things that may never go back to the way they were before pregnancy.

1. Stomach Skin Stretches Out And Becomes Saggy

For several months you carried another life inside your womb and as it grows inside, your skin will naturally stretch to go along with the expanding size. When you have given birth, the skin on the stomach has already stretched out too much that it has a lesser chance to return to its original appearance. It is like a plastic bag filled beyond its capacity that when you took everything out of the bag, it will not return to its original shape.

There is still a chance that your skin could bounce back after a year or two but the odds are against you and you have to fight against gravity and aging. This means to say that saggy skin is a permanent thing that you could not just remove by diet and exercise. So, even if you can remove the weight that you gained due to pregnancy, saggy skin, unfortunately, is not going away.

Most often, saggy skin is developed along with losing weight. Saggy skin is one of the major reasons why the procedure tummy tuck is popular among women who have had kids, says Dr. William Ross of Mommy Makeover.

2. Ptosis or Sagging Breasts

One of the most depressing effects of pregnancy on women is called Ptosis or sagging of the breasts. The problem is, once the breasts droop they will never stand firm again. The drooping is mainly caused by the stretching of the elastin and ligaments that ensure the fatty tissues are in their proper places, according to the 2008 Aesthetic Surgery Journal.

The bright side about this is that once you have had a baby, breastfeeding will not likely worsen breast sagging. The Annals of Plastic Surgery discovered that women who have been pregnant had more sagging breasts compared to those who had not. Breastfeeding, however, does not cause the worsened droopiness of the breasts like smoking status and weight gain do.

3. Stretch Mark On The Breasts And The Mid-Section

Striae, or stretch marks, are formed when the elastic fibers of your skin break. During pregnancy or when you gain weight, your body grows at a pace that your skin could not keep up with, which causes a stretch mark. The American Academy of Dermatology reports that 90 percent of women develop stretch marks starting in the seventh month of their pregnancy.

Just like saggy skin, striae are permanent but there is still a way that it could be removed depending on its location. Dr. William Ross, Mommy Makeover expert from Naples, FL, recommends a breast lift or a tummy tuck could give your body makeover that it deserves. Both of these procedures can also enhance the appearance of stretch marks that could not be removed.

4. Nipples And Areola Become Bigger And Darker

Long with your breast size, the size of your areolae and your nipples naturally increases. These changes in their shapes make it easier for the infant to latch on when they breastfeed. The change in the pigmentation of the nipples and areolas are caused by hormones. These hormones activate the melanocytes or the cells that produce pigment in the skin.

While the dark pigmentation will lighten over time, the size of your areola or nipples will stay the same despite that your breasts have returned to their original size. An areola reduction could be performed if you are too concerned about it.

5. Changes in the Skin

Pregnancy brings all types of skin changes. The linea nigra, for instance, becomes visible. This is the black line or the dark vertical line running over from the belly up to the pubic hair region at the time of pregnancy. Women could also develop melasma or the mask of pregnancy. These are brown blotches that color the face. Moles and freckles could also become darker during pregnancy.

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DERMATOLOGIST EXPLAINS WHY YOUR SKIN FREAKS DURING PREGNANCY

Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting times in a woman’s life. While some women are “unicorns” and experience the best complexion and hair of their lives, others feel as if their skin has been “hijacked” and that virtually every day brings something foreign or unknown emerging on their face or body. Dr. Sheel Solomon is a Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Board- Certified Dermatologist. She is a mother to two young children and understands first-hand what a woman’s skin and hair go through during pregnancy. Here she shares common concerns and what a woman can do postpartum to regain skin and hair status quo.

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks happen when your body grows faster than your skin can keep up with. This causes the elastic fibers just under the surface of the skin to break, resulting in stretch marks. Growing that fast can leave you with stretch marks, especially on your belly and breasts, two areas that grow the most. Stretch marks can also show up on the thighs, buttocks, and upper arms. The marks often start out reddish or purple, but after pregnancy, they gradually fade to white or gray. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to prevent stretch marks. There’s not a cream, lotion, or “mommy” potion that can do that. If that’s the claim on the bottle, don’t be duped,” says Dr. Solomon.

"The Glow"

It isn’t an urban legend. It's real and it's awesome. “Because of increased blood flow and expanded capillaries, at some point in your pregnancy, your skin will effortlessly start to beam. People will likely notice that something is just different about you, and your skin will probably never experience so many compliments again, says Dr. Solomon.

In addition to added blood circulation, pregnancy hormones cause your skin to naturally retain more moisture, thus giving you your radiance. This is one of those side effects that we wish would stick around, but it's likely that it will eventually fade as your hormones level out. It's always a good idea to keep your skin hydrated with a rich lotion or cream, Dr. Solomon says, especially if it makes your skin feel better, look smoother and more toned, and helps the itchiness that can come with your growing belly.

Skin tags

These small, loose, harmless growths of the skin can appear anywhere on your body during pregnancy, but most commonly pop up under the arms and breasts. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to prevent them, but they can easily be removed after pregnancy if you want.

Varicose and spider veins

Varicose veins are those blue or purple veins that usually, show up on the legs, and spider veins are the tiny red veins that may appear on your face when you're pregnant. The good news: Both usually clear up after your baby is born. In the event that they don’t, Dr. Solomon explains that Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution directly into the vein that causes them to shrink.

Acne

Zits aren't just for teenagers: Many moms-to-be also get acne throughout their pregnancy, even if they've never had it before. Dr. Solomon explains that “Two things conspire to cause breakouts, which tend to hit sometime around week 6 of pregnancy: hormone surges, of course (in this case, progesterone, which causes your glands to increase acne-causing secretions of oil, called sebum) can clog up pores and cause bacteria to build up, leading to breakouts. And your body is also retaining more fluids, which contain toxins that can lead to **acne.”

Cholestasis of pregnancy

Dr. Solomon cautions that “There are times you shouldn’t ignore itchy skin. Cholestasis of pregnancy is a liver disease that results from high amounts of pregnancy hormones affecting the normal flow of bile in the gallbladder. This condition occurs in the third trimester and can cause severe itching over the whole body. It’s often worse on the palms and soles of the feet and causes patients to feel miserable and be unable to sleep. Cholestasis of pregnancy also may be accompanied by jaundice (a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes).”

A simple blood test can verify if you have cholestasis of pregnancy, and oral medication may treat it. Delivery also cures it, so OB-GYNS may induce labor when you are closer to your due date.

Melasma and linea nigra

If you develop dark splotches on your face, you could have melasma or the mask of pregnancy. This skin condition affects up to half of pregnant women and is also responsible for linea nigra, a dark line that runs down the belly.

Hair and nail changes

You may notice that your hair suddenly seems thicker and fuller or that your nails grow faster during pregnancy. These changes are due to pregnancy hormones. Unfortunately, you may also find that hair starts to grow where you'd prefer it didn't, including on your face, chest, and belly.

Quick Tips for Post Pregnancy Skin

Hydrate with water

Do yoga and practice relaxation techniques 

Use an oil free moisturizer to avoid acne

Avoid direct exposure to the sun to control pigmentation and wear a good broad-spectrum high SPF sunscreen 

Use a good under eye cream for puffy eyes and dark circles

Exfoliate your body all over with a gentle exfoliator stimulate circulation

Don’t stop taking your prenatal vitamins. They also are beneficial to the health of your skin, hair, and nails, as they provide iron and calcium.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AND PREPPING FOR PREGNANCY

We had an interesting conversation with Dr. Christopher Robinson a physician and partner at Charleston Maternal Fetal Medicine and Jessica Caron about Inflammatory Bowel Disease and the IBD Parenthood Project. We talked about what you need to know, myths and the importance of having clinicians that can help those who are involved in this journey.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

DR. CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON: So Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a medical condition that is faced by 1.6 million people in the United States. It’s important to note that half of those people that are affected are women. So as a result, reproductive care comes into this discussion when you’re talking about Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Usually, we think of two conditions primarily – Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis as being key contributors to the diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

AM: Why is this such a concern for those that are thinking of having children?

DR. CR: We know that planning a pregnancy and getting ready for having a pregnancy – control of a medical disease is important for a healthy mother and a healthy baby. It also assists that mom in going through that pregnancy from having complications that may occur. This is the same for Inflammatory Bowel Disease where recurrences from Inflammatory Bowel Disease contributes to things like smaller babies, babies that may experience a preterm birth, and that may expose the family as well as the baby to increased risk. So one of the key features here is to really control the disease process so that the pregnancy can proceed normally. That’s why we are here and why we have developed this tool kit for providers as well as patients.

AM: So what is this tool kit and how does it prepare those that are preparing to have children?

JESSICA CARON: The tool kit available to moms online at IBDParenthoodProject.Gastro.org is a great place that captures a lot of the misconceptions that women may have about pregnancy and parenthood with some advice for them as well as information for them to share with others while they are making their decision. As well as a checklist that they can use when they are talking to their clinician to make sure that they address all the things in preconception, pregnancy, and even post-natal – breastfeeding etc.

AM: What are the common myths that people have about IBD and planning their pregnancies?

JC: Some common myths can even be – can I even get pregnant with IBD? In fact, women can and do get pregnant with IBD and can do so with healthy ways when they are in remission. Another misconception is, are my medications safe throughout pregnancy and in fact most medications are. I don’t know if you have anything else that you wanted to add to this?

DR. CR: I think it’s one of the very first things that women focus on – am I going to be able to have a healthy pregnancy and then medications that they are taking – are they compatible with a healthy pregnancy? In deed, often times they are healthy and they are actually also beneficial in achieving remission such that the pregnancy can continue normally. So one of the key features that we see in patients is that they initially questioning the safety of continuing their therapy which is keeping them in remission during pregnancy for fear that it may harm the baby.

AM: So what should these women know that do have this condition before they begin to think about becoming pregnant? Will looking at this website give them the information that they need before they begin their next steps when they are in the beginning phases of considering?

DR. CR: It absolutely will! For instance, one of the simple things is starting a pre-natal vitamin – one that has folic acid that reduces the risk of fetal abnormality with things such as spine defects, heart defects and sometimes even clefts in the face. All that can be improved through just taking a vitamin. The other things is actually just opening a dialogue. One thing is that fear can come out of a lack of knowledge. One thing that we are trying to do is to arm women and to arm their providers with reliable information that has been adjudicated and evaluated by both the American Gastroenterological Association as well as the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine. So they can rely on this information and use it together to create an optimal plan. I think that this will be very helpful in opening a dialogue for these women.

AM: What is a Maternal Fetal Medicine Subspecialist and why is it important to have one early on in the pregnancy process?

DR. CR: So a Maternal Fetal Medicine Subspecialist (MFM) is actually a person who has gone through the formal training to be an Obstetrician and Gynecologist just like an OBGYN; however, they have gone through an additional 3 years of training specifically targeting the management of complicated medical disease, surgical disease or any problems that may come up in utero and how to manage those conditions. So they are really the high risk specialists that can take care of women who have medical disease that is also present at the same time that they are planning to have a baby. So they are uniquely qualified to handle those patients and to make those decisions about medications that are safe, medications that should be avoided as well as looking at the entire picture of how to get that woman from planning a pregnancy to all the way through delivery as well as decisions about lactation. And not to be left out, this also includes decisions about contraception. What are the best ways to plan on when one should have a baby and what kinds of contraception should they be considering.

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