The article on Skin disease in pregnancy describes some physiological changes. We would like to add one more from personal experience. Co-author (RAN), para 0, gravida 1, was carrying a twin pregnancy. By 27 weeks gestation the abdominal wall was tensely distended and a white circular patch had developed around the umbilicus (the photos are taken at 29 weeks gestation). She was otherwise asymptomatic.
It appeared that this was a perfusion anomaly of the peri-umbilical tissues, secondary to tense abdominal wall distension. Digital pressure applied to other areas of the abdominal wall resulted in blanching of a similar colour with remarkably delayed capillary refill, confirming our impression of a perfusion anomaly. The white patch remained unchanged throughout pregnancy.
RAN underwent Caesarean section at 37 weeks gestation, and immediately post operatively it was noted that the white patch had disappeared with normal appearance of peri-umbilcal skin.
We could find no reference to this phenomenon in the medical literature. However, we found numerous on-line comments by other mothers who had experienced similar changes. Perhaps we could call it the Newton patch?
Signed informed patient consent obtained.
Competing interests:
Dr RA Newton (General Practitioner) is the daughter of Dr TA King (Consultant Anaesthetist).
The pictures are of Dr RA Newton who gives consent for these to be published.
Rapid Response:
Re: Skin disease in pregnancy
The article on Skin disease in pregnancy describes some physiological changes. We would like to add one more from personal experience. Co-author (RAN), para 0, gravida 1, was carrying a twin pregnancy. By 27 weeks gestation the abdominal wall was tensely distended and a white circular patch had developed around the umbilicus (the photos are taken at 29 weeks gestation). She was otherwise asymptomatic.
It appeared that this was a perfusion anomaly of the peri-umbilical tissues, secondary to tense abdominal wall distension. Digital pressure applied to other areas of the abdominal wall resulted in blanching of a similar colour with remarkably delayed capillary refill, confirming our impression of a perfusion anomaly. The white patch remained unchanged throughout pregnancy.
RAN underwent Caesarean section at 37 weeks gestation, and immediately post operatively it was noted that the white patch had disappeared with normal appearance of peri-umbilcal skin.
We could find no reference to this phenomenon in the medical literature. However, we found numerous on-line comments by other mothers who had experienced similar changes. Perhaps we could call it the Newton patch?
Signed informed patient consent obtained.
Competing interests: Dr RA Newton (General Practitioner) is the daughter of Dr TA King (Consultant Anaesthetist). The pictures are of Dr RA Newton who gives consent for these to be published.