Birthmarks and Skin markings

From an article on "Vascular Anomalies" (skin markings) that are usually present at birth:

Most vascular anomalies involve the skin, the largest organ of the body, and, therefore, are notable at birth. For centuries, vascular birthmarks (nevi) were referred to by colorful names derived from false traditional beliefs that a mother’s emotions or types of food she ate could "mark" the skin of her unborn fetus. Old medicals texts are dotted with references to brightly colored foods that best described the appearance of an unusual cutaneous lesion ("lesion"= any abnormal change in the body).Depending on the culture, the mother was blamed for eating too much or too little red fruit during her pregnancy. The modern use of such terms as ‘‘cherry,’’ ‘‘port wine stain,’’ and ‘‘strawberry’’ to describe various skin findings in a newborn can be referenced to that old belief.

From: Christison-Lagay ER -Surgical Clinics of North America - 01-APR-006