Morning sickness, exhaustion, strange cravings– any expectant woman can tell you these things are par for the course during pregnancy. but what you may not realize as a mother-to-be is that the process of bearing children may also have some pretty strange side effects. from itching bellies to irregular eyesight, find out about some of the lesser-known conditions associated with pregnancy.
1. Itchiness– one of the more annoying symptoms of pregnancy, itchiness is caused by a change in hormones in combination with your stretching skin. It’s not uncommon to feel this unpleasant sensation around your belly and breasts in particular. using skin creams or aloe vera gel can greatly reduce the discomfort of itchy skin. while a little itch here and there is harmless, a sudden feeling of intense, uncontrollable itchiness all over your body may be a signal that something serious is going on. A rare liver condition known as intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy can occur when your liver ducts become clogged and bile salts build up on your skin. This condition can be harmful to you and your baby, so if you start experiencing extreme itching, call your doctor right away.
2. Brown spots– Many pregnant women are shocked to wake up one morning and find strange brown spots on different areas of their bodies. This is due to a perfectly normal condition called chloasma, in which hormone changes cause an increased amount of melanin in your skin. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done about these spots, but they should start to disappear shortly after your baby’s birth.
3. Clumsiness– This may seem like an obvious side effect of pregnancy; who wouldn’t be a little off-balance with a bulging belly? but as a woman with child, you may actually find yourself dropping objects more frequently due to a looser grasp. Certain hormones cause the joints in your body to relax during pregnancy to prepare you for giving birth. although not much can be done about this symptom, try to be patient; remember, it’s not permanent!
4. changes in eyesight– It’s not unusual for a pregnant woman to find that her contacts or glasses just don’t work as well as they used to. Contact users in particular may find that their corrective lenses are causing them discomfort. It is uncertain as to exactly what causes these changes in eyesight, but experts believe that gaining water weight may actually change the shape of the cornea, creating a slight difference in vision. If you experience this strange symptom, there’s no need to rush to the optometrist: this is another condition that will almost always go away after your baby is born.
5. Stuffy nose– A case of the sniffles during pregnancy doesn’t always mean you’re sick; extra blood flow to the mucous membranes of your body means that your nose is much more susceptible to stuffiness. you can help relieve this symptom, which commonly appears after the first trimester, by taking steamy baths or showers and staying hydrated.
6. Extra hair growth– In many women, part of the natural “glow” of pregnancy is the appearance of thicker, more lustrous hair. but did you know that excess hair can appear in other places as well? Pregnant women may find that they are growing unwanted scruff on their upper lip, chin, or even neck. Some even find stray hairs on their backs and stomachs. but not to worry! Like many other symptoms, excess hair growth is caused by an influx of hormones and will go away after your baby’s birth.
The process of carrying a child can bring many new experiences to the expecting mother, some more strange than others. Most of these unusual symptoms are caused by hormones and go away once your bundle of joy is born, so enjoy the journey and don’t be surprised if you encounter some strange new side effects of your own.