Pregnancy after tummy tuck is one of the major concerns of many tummy tuck patients all over the world. A lot of them are wondering if it’s still possible to get pregnant after a tummy tuck.
If so, what would be its consequences and long-term effects? Is it safe for the baby? Do you need to get another tummy tuck afterward?
To shed light on the matter, here are four facts about tummy tuck and pregnancy that can help you make an informed decision about getting an abdominoplasty:
It’s safe to get pregnant after a tummy tuck.
You might think that you’re done having kids, but not all pregnancies are planned. You might wake up one day and find out that you’re expecting again.
If you get pregnant after a tummy tuck, don’t worry because your tummy tuck won’t affect the safety of your pregnancy. The surgery isn’t correlated to any complications during pregnancy.
Most tummy tuck patients who gave birth to babies afterward found their pregnancy uneventful, and they were able to give birth to healthy babies.
Later pregnancy may or may not affect your tummy tuck results.
A tummy tuck is often recommended for women who experienced muscle separation because of pregnancy. But will pregnancy after tummy tuck affect your abdominoplasty results?
The short answer is yes, it may, but that’s not always the case. Though pregnancy can stretch your abdominal muscles, sometimes the stretching isn’t enough to warrant a tummy tuck touch-up or revision. Other factors that come into play include weight gain, stretch marks, and muscle separation.
Your need for a second tummy tuck strongly depends on how your body responds to pregnancy and surgery, as well as the work of your plastic surgeon. Make sure that you go to a reputable, experienced, and board-certified plastic surgeon to ensure long-lasting results.
You may get a C-section after a tummy tuck.
The main concern with getting a C-section after a tummy tuck is the scar. To ensure that you don’t get additional scars, make sure that you tell your obstetrician that you already had a tummy tuck before so that she can use that same scar for a C-section.
It is also possible that your obstetrician won’t be able to close your incision with the same skill as your plastic surgeon, so you may arrange for your plastic surgeon to be present in the delivery room and reclose the incision.
It’s best to plan a pregnancy after tummy tuck years later.
For most plastic surgeons, you may get pregnant as early as six months after the surgery. By this time, your damaged tissues should have already healed, and a scar has already formed.
Still, many specialists believe that it’s best to wait longer – around five to six years – before getting pregnant. Otherwise, you’re running the risk of only gaining short-term tummy tuck results.
The bottom line is, pregnancy after tummy tuck is possible. However, it’s still best to have the procedure done once you’re sure you no longer want to have kids.
If you have any more concerns about tummy tuck and pregnancy, schedule a Free Consultation with one of our double board-certified plastic surgeons, and we’ll answer any questions that you may have.
