Pregnancy is pretty synonymous with change. Becoming a mother is a huge deal, obviously, but your body is going to adapt during your pregnancy and change more than you ever thought possible. Even your vagina will look a little different to you before you even push a baby out of it. Many new moms have felt like their vaginas changed, but does your vagina change color during pregnancy or is that one adaptation you won't see?
Well, unless you get a hand mirror out, you probably won't see it. But it turns out your vagina can change colors. Think of it as one of those magical horses in the land of Oz. According to Mayo Clinic, pigmentation is one of the bigger changes that can happen to your skin while you're pregnant thanks to all the hormonal shifts and adjusted blood flow and your vagina isn't excluded. Glamour also noted that a hormone change, like the increased levels of estrogen, can result in darkening your skin down there.
According to Parents, the extra blood flow to your genitals may make your vagina, labia, and cervix look blue or purple. In fact, this can be one of the earliest signs of pregnancy if you're looking down there to see if you've got a baby on board. It's not a huge deal at all and your vagina will eventually return to its original color, but it can take on a new hue and is something to be aware of and maybe let your partner know so those intimate moments don't turn into panic.
Dr. Kameelah Phillips, an OB-GYN in New York City, tells Romper that she would say your vagina can change colors during pregnancy. "At the beginning of pregnancy, the cervix and vagina can take on a bluish hue known as Chadwick's sign," Phillips says. "In my opinion, towards the later stages of pregnancy, the vagina and cervix, in some women, become very engorged due to the increased blood flow, so it often looks more red than its typical pink "baseline". If it is a woman with multiple pregnancies and varicose veins, the engorged labia can have a more blue appearance from the increase in venous blood flow."
Trust me, some changes in color are the least of the changes you'll experience during pregnancy. Whether you have a vaginal delivery or a C-section, your vagina's going to change a bit while your baby's still in utero, so be prepared and do your research to avoid those 3 a.m. panicked Google searches with a hand mirror between your legs.
And you thought all you had to think about was what was going to happen to your vagina during delivery, huh? Your body is a wonderland, my friend. Even when your vagina's turning blue and purple.
