How to Avoid Stretch Mark During Pregnancy

Video Transcript

"How to avoid stretch marks in pregnancy. Hi, I'm Michelle Collins, certified nurse midwife and Professor of Nursing at Vanderbilt University. Some people consider stretch marks a badge of motherhood. Well about seventy-five percent of women during pregnancy will get stretch marks. And sometimes they appear just on the belly, sometimes on the breast, on the thighs or on the buttocks. A few things play into the development of stretch marks. One thing is genetics. If a mother has a fair amount of stretch marks, there's a fairly good chance that her daughter also will have the same stretch marks in areas of her body as well. Also weight gain plays into stretch mark development. Because a woman in the period of pregnancy over the nine months gains a rapid amount of weight, if she should gain an inordinate amount of weight over the amount that's expected or recommended to her, she can expect that she might form more stretch marks than a woman who stays with the weight gain in between the recommended guidelines. Sometimes you'll see over the counter products that claim that they can prevent the formation of stretch marks or that they can take stretch marks away. And really there's no good scientific evidence to base those claims upon. There's not really any one magical cure to prevent formation of stretch marks. The lotions feel good rubbed on your belly, but they may not necessarily do anything to prevent or hamper the development of stretch marks. One thing a woman can do to help ensure the integrity of her skin, is to eat a really good healthy diet during her pregnancy. Nutrients that are important to our body also help our skin maintain its elasticity and may help in preventing any formation of skin stretch marks. Another thing she can do is stay well hydrated. Skin that's well hydrated also will stretch easier."