Stretch Marks In Pregnancy

Stretch marks are not painful, but they can tingle or itch. Approximately 50% - 90% of pregnant women develop stretch marks sometime during weeks 18 through postpartum. They mostly occur during the end of pregnancy, as that is where the skin becomes stretched. These stretch marks commonly appear on the lower abdomen, thighs, arms, breasts or buttocks.

There are several factors involved in your risk to get them during your pregnancy. These factors are family history, having them in previous pregnancy, rapid or excessive weight gain during pregnancy will worsen stretch marks, multiple gestation (more than one baby during a pregnancy), being dehydrated or having poor nutrition will increase your risk for stretch marks. African American women tend to get stretch marks less often than other women.

Preventing Stretch Marks During Pregnancy:

There is something you can do to lower your risk for stretch marks during pregnancy. You can stay hydrated by drinking a minimum of 8 - 8oz glasses of water each day. Moisturizing your belly can help to keep your skin supple. Make sure you have nutritious meals and snacks and avoid gaining excessive weight (watch what you eat).

Your Stretch Marks Postpartum and Future Pregnancies:

After the baby is born any stretch marks you have will change from red or purple in color to a silvery or white as they fade. Should you have a future pregnancy the stretch marks from this pregnancy may become temporarily darker. You may not necessarily gain any new stretch marks during future pregnancies unless you gain weight rapidly, or have excessive weight gain. Stretch marks can also occur due to the way you are carrying the baby. It is possible to notice that stretch marks from previous pregnancies may lengthen during future pregnancies.

There are many stretch mark creams on the market today. Here are some of the more popular ones.

Striae® Stretch Mark Cream, Barmon Cocoa butter cream for stretch marks, Palmers Cocoa Butter Massage Stretch Mark Cream, ZENMED® Stretta - Stretch Mark Cream and Vita-K Stretch mark formula.

What pregnant women are really seeking in a stretch mark cream is prevention. A multi-stage research study conducted by stretch-mark-adviser.com found that there were 5 creams that outperformed during the study: Revitol Stretch mark Cream, TriLASTIN-SR, Barmon, Body Shape and Stretta. The study used the following criteria to rank the creams: effectiveness, how long the results lasted, how quickly the results were noticeable, safety of the product, and customer satisfaction in the results.

Pregnancy should be a happy period of a woman’s life. Stretch marks are unfortunately something that pregnant women have to contend with so it is worthwhile to understand all you can about stretch marks before they appear so that perhaps with good nutrition, lots of water, and stretch mark cream you can prevent them from marring your happy pregnancy.