4 Signs You're More Likely To Get Pregnancy Stretch Marks

Pregnancy stretch marks probably don't make the list of the things you're looking forward to on the road to parenthood. But the truth is, you'll probably get them, says Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. Research shows nine 9 of 10 people develop stretch marks during pregnancy—usually in the sixth or seventh month.

The—ahem—silver lining? You're definitely not alone. Read on for four signs you may be more likely to develop pregnancy stretch marks.

1. Your Gestational Parent Got Them

Genetics plays a huge role in almost any human condition, and stretch marks are no exception. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), stretch marks seem to be hereditary. So, if people in your biological family get pregnancy stretch marks, you might, too.

Stretch marks occur when your skin expands faster than the collagen and elastin (fibers in your skin) can accommodate. The skin's tolerance for stretching is different for everyone, but if your parent developed them during pregnancy, it could be because their skin's collagen and elastin are less able to accommodate these rapid changes.

2. You're Young

Think of youthful skin like a new rubber band: It's firm and taut, so when stretched too far, it's likely to tear under the pressure, says Mona Gohara, MD, a dermatologist in New Haven, Connecticut. As skin matures, it naturally begins to lose firmness, so it doesn't have to stretch as much to account for your growing body.

Research suggests that age influences the development of stretch marks during pregnancy. An older 2010 study found that 70% of pregnant people under 25 developed pregnancy stretch marks, while 29% of those over 25 did. A 2015 study found similar results: 84% of people under 20 developed pregnancy stretch marks, while 24% of those over 20 did.

3. You Gain Weight Quickly

Stretch marks occur when you gain weight, especially rapidly, which is a natural part of pregnancy. That's why stretch marks sometimes appear during the rapid growth spurts during puberty. In fact, researchers have found prevalence rates in adolescents from 6% to 86%.

Everyone's different, and there's only so much in your control, but doctors recommend that you try to gain weight slowly and steadily during pregnancy. Doing your best to stay within the recommended range of weight gain based on your pre-pregnancy weight is also advised.

4. You Got Stretch Marks in Puberty

Hormonal changes can contribute to increased skin fragility, making it more prone to tearing, says Dendy Engelman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. If you can still see the scars from your teen years on your hips, abdomen, breasts, and buttocks, chances are good that history will repeat itself.

Stacie T., 35, a first-time mom of an 8-month-old girl in Silver Spring, Maryland, says she got stretch marks on her breasts during puberty, but it wasn't until the seventh month of her pregnancy that she started seeing the little squiggles on her lower abdomen.

"I felt like it happened overnight," she recalls. Now, when she looks at herself in the mirror, she admits, "They bother me. But I try to reframe it in my head: I have a happy, healthy, beautiful baby. If this is the sacrifice I had to make to get her, who cares?"