FRIDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnancy may influence structural changes in melanocytic nevi that resolve soon after delivery, according to a report in the December issue of Dermatologic Surgery.
Annarosa Virgili, M.D., of the University of Ferrara in Ferrara, Italy, and colleagues systematically analyzed the dermoscopic parameters of 86 melanocytic nevi found on the backs of 47 pregnant women during and after pregnancy.
The investigators found that by the end of pregnancy, the nevi were lightened in color and showed a reduction in prominence and thickness of the pigment network. Both the number of vessels and total dermoscopic score increased by the end of pregnancy, but soon resolved after delivery. They did not find a significant change in nevi size.
"The results indicate that an intrinsic influence of pregnancy may induce structural modifications without influencing the size of the nevi," the authors write. "Behavioral factors during the observational period, like a reduced exposure to sunlight reported by most of the women, may have influenced other characteristics, like global pigmentation and pigment network."
Abstract
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