What is the Pregnancy Glow that's Spotted on Moms-to-Be

There is something that every pregnant woman might hear at one point during her journey to deliver her baby: you’re absolutely glowing! You may not be sure what this actually means but you take the compliment and move forward anyway. Is it something with your skin? Is it something from inside? Do you have some kind of natural flush to your cheeks that makes people say this whether they know you or are complete strangers? Or is it just a pregnancy myth that has been perpetuated for generations in order to make pregnant women feel beautiful and special? Not that they are not both of those.
 

This interesting compliment that pregnant women often receive will be the topic of our article. We will dive deep into its meaning, the science behind it, the myths surrounding it, and we will find out whether or not it has anything to do with your baby’s gender, as many people think. Here we go!

Before moving forward with our possible explanations of the famous pregnancy glow, we should first find out what this special phenomenon actually is. Apparently, it all has to do with your skin that becomes a lot more healthier-looking, shiny, vibrant, and rosy while you are pregnant. It may also have to do with the impression that a pregnant woman can leave when meeting people. It’s the manifestation of that happiness that she is feeling and the fact that she will have a baby of her own. It’s interesting that the glow appears even if the woman has been pregnant before, so it’s not only a first time thing for new moms-to-be that are very excited and nervous for the big moment. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the glow appears on everyone but it has become a lot more common nowadays for people to actually tell the pregnant woman about it. 
 

The point is that, according to numerous experts, there are the varied physiological changes that can make a pregnant woman end up with the pregnancy glow. The increased level of hormones in the woman’s body during this period trigger more oil production in the facial glands, therefore making the skin look more radiant and shiny than ever before. In fact, there are numerous factors involved in the appearance of this special glow.

It’s definitely worth noting that the famous pregnancy glow is not a total myth or some kind of pregnancy legend that has been perpetuated throughout the years. In fact, the science behind this phenomenon tells us that it’s the combination of changes in your pregnant body that contributes to the improved appearance of your skin aka the glow. While you are pregnant, there is a higher blood volume going through your body (because your uterus and other organs need more blood to support your unborn baby) and therefore, a more flushed-looking skin. The increased hormone levels (like progesterone, estrogen, and human chorionic gonadotropin) also trigger some of that glow, as we have already mentioned, combined with more oil that your facial glands produce. Moreover, the glow can be even more intense if you already had combination or oily skin even when you were not pregnant.

Apart from these perfectly normal reasons, there’s also the fact that your skin stretches during pregnancy which can make you look like your really glowing. Moreover, the hot flashes or heat rashes that pregnant women experience can definitely contribute to the rosy-looking skin that appears glowy and special.

As for when it actually happens or when it starts, nobody can be certain. However, given the fact that most changes in your body happen during the second trimester of the pregnancy, that’s when you might actually start glowing. Sadly, as nice as it feels to be a glowing goddess, these changes usually disappear soon after giving birth. Still, it doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy it the pregnancy glow while it lasts, right?

Sure, while pregnant, you can always play some fun games during which you and your friends and family can guess your baby’s gender. However, if you were hoping that your fantastic pregnancy glow would tell you that, we have bad news for you. This myth concerning whether or not you will have a boy or a girl has probably been perpetuated over decades like all other superstitions, legends, etc.

The story goes that if you experience an accentuated pregnancy glow on your face, then you will definitely have a baby girl. The opposite case, meaning the absence of that special glow, supposedly indicates that you will have a baby boy. Sadly, these are only myths that won’t tell you the gender of your future baby. In fact, these changes happen during the second trimester, as previously mentioned, when morning sickness stops, you eat more because you no longer feel like throwing up 24/7, and you start feeling a lot better overall. This is the only explanation that’s behind the famous pregnancy glow.

It’s no secret that there are a lot of commonly-known myths surrounding the pregnancy period. As we have seen, the famous and popular pregnancy glow is not really one as it happens because of various changes that your body goes through while carrying a baby. Now, having random people telling you how glowy you look without even knowing you might be a red flag, but there’s nothing you can do, really.

As for pregnancy glow myths, the most famous one is that it predicts the gender of your unborn baby. As we have already mentioned, this is completely false as women who have glowy skin can deliver boys and those who do not have the glow can deliver girls. It’s not a rule and the sex of your baby is not determined by how much your skin glows. This is a clear example of a pregnancy myth that has been passed on to generations from ancient times when technology could not reveal the exact gender of your baby. You should definitely not believe it and if you happen to have a baby girl after experiencing pregnancy glow or a baby boy after not experiencing it, it’s definitely a coincidence.

Every woman should realize what a beautiful period her pregnancy is even if, sometimes, it can get incredibly difficult. It’s all about embracing a new life that you helped create and enjoying every minute of it. So, in order to encourage you in your journey and make it even more beautiful, we have selected a few pregnancy glow quotes to help you muster your courage and make the best out of these nine months. You will miss them when they’re over, we guarantee this!
 

All in all, it appears that the world famous pregnancy glow might be a myth after all, but not a fully-invented one. There is truth behind the obvious changes that happen in your body and skin when you are pregnant and which are to be observed by other people. So, enjoy being pregnant and glowy and if you do not experience this phenomenon, don’t worry. You are still incredibly beautiful and your baby is too. Pregnancy is a journey, so make it the best one of your life!