Changes in the breasts are the early sign of pregnancy. A high level of hormones causes changes in breasts tissue and prepares for lactation after childbirth.
Due to increased blood supply and secretion of estrogen and progesterone, major changes take place in the breasts, and the formation of new ducts occurs during pregnancy. Increased level of hormones causes secretion of prolactin hormone required for preparation of the breasts and milk production.
Breasts Changes in Pregnant Women
In the first trimester, you may experience prickling and tingling sensations due to increased blood supply, particularly around the nipple. Your breasts increase in size, become painful and tender. Due to increased blood supply, bluish surface veins become visible under the skin.
As the first trimester ends, Montgomery’s tubercles start to appear on the areola. These are sebaceous glands that secrete sebum to keep the nipple soft and moist.
The area around the nipple also called the primary areola; which becomes pigmented, darkens, and may enlarge.
In the second trimester, your breasts become more heavier and bigger. Colostrum is yellowish and thick milk which your breasts produce during pregnancy. It can be expressed in the second trimester. There is a further extension of the pigmented area with the development of secondary areola.
In the third trimester, the colostrum may leak from the breasts. Due to the effect of the progesterone hormone, the breasts become more heavier and the areola gets prominent. Your nipples and areola become darker which usually fades away as the baby starts breastfeeding.
As the pregnancy progresses, you may develop stretch marks due to an increase in the size of breasts tissue. There is no cream available to treat stretch marks. You can keep your breast’s skin moist with oils and creams to prevent dryness and itching.
Conclusion
In the above post, we have discussed the breasts changes that occur during pregnancy. High level of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone cause changes in the breasts and prepare for lactation. As the pregnancy progresses, the breasts grow and become heavier. Colostrum is yellowish and thick milk which can be squeezed out in the second half of pregnancy.
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