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The reason why pregnant women are turning their toilet seats BLUE

12 July 2019, 16:14

The bizarre reason why pregnancy could be turning your toilet seat blue (stock images). Picture: Getty

Pregnant women produce a hormone that turns their sweat blue - here's everything you need to know

We all know that pregnancy can bring on a whole host of changes in the body, but one of the more unusual symptoms is getting people talking online.

Metro.co.uk reports that many people on Reddit have been revealing that pregnant women are turning their toilet seats BLUE - and the possible reason why is bizarre.

Many pregnant women are claiming their toilet seats are turning blue. Picture: Getty

One person wrote: "Has anyone here turned their toilet seat blue? I just realised last night that our toilet seat is now a lovely blue/purple hue.

"After some googling, apparently, this is something that happens to pregnant people? Please tell me I'm not alone in this!"

And one mum wrote on the Pregnancy Podcast website: "My husband and I noticed our porcelain toilet seat turning blue on either side a couple of weeks ago and after a Google search learned that this happens to some pregnant women… This just started happening a couple of weeks ago and wondered if you had any more insight."

It is thought that this change could be due to something called chromhidrosis.

Pregnant women are claiming that their toilet seats are turning blue (stock image). Picture: Getty

Angela Ballard, Registered Nurse with the International Hyperhidrosis Society, told Metro: "Chromhidrosis is a disorder of the sweat glands that usually manifests with colored sweat on the face, in the underarms, or on the areola of the breasts (the darker circle of skin around the nipples). Sweat may be yellow, green, blue, brown, or black. The colors are due to a pigment produced in the sweat glands called lipofuscin.

"Lipofuscin is common in human cells, but for some reason people with chromhidrosis have higher concentrations of lipofuscin or lipofuscin that is in a higher-than-normal state of oxidation."

There isn't a known link between pregnancy and chromhidrosis, but it could be that it occurs when there are changes in the body.

If someone has the condition, the sweat can react with certain materials - which may be why the toilet seats are changing colour.

Always consult your doctor if you're concerned about health matters.