the distention, but it finally cracks, and lines appear which are
commonly called "pregnancy streaks." At first they are delicate and
pink or blue in color; later they become white and more extensive.

The streaks indicate the situation of small breaks in the deeper
layer of the skin, which is less elastic than the upper layer. They
are not painful, and should never cause anxiety. Their size and
number vary with the degree of abdominal distention, which in turn
depends upon various factors, such as the size of the child and the
quantity of amniotic fluid. Although these streaks are most
frequently located upon the lower part of the abdomen, they may
extend to the outer sides of the thighs; and occasionally appear over
the breasts, since they too enlarge during pregnancy. Stretching of
the skin, of course, is not confined to pregnancy; consequently, the
same kind of streaks often appear in people who are growing stout.

Attempts to prevent or limit the pregnancy streaks prove futile.
There is a common belief that they may be prevented by the use of
vaselin, goose-grease, mutton-fat, or some one of a variety of
lotions; but this teaching is not borne out by experience. None of
these applications, however, are harmful, and there can be no
objection to using them except that they cause needless soiling of
the clothing. After the child is born the streaks fade of their own
accord, though they rarely disappear entirely.

In certain localities the skin grows darker during pregnancy. We have
already referred to the deepening of the color around the nipple as
one of the signs of pregnancy; a similar but much less pronounced
discoloration occurs about the navel, which also becomes shallow and
may begin to pout in the latter months of pregnancy. About this time,