Pregnancy After Tummy Tuck
Contents:
- Possible Complications
- Is it Possible to Have Tummy Tuck Done Before Pregnancy?
- When to Plan Pregnancy After the Tummy Tuck?
Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a surgical procedure used to improve the look of the anterior abdominal wall. It involves the removal of the excess skin and fat and the strengthening of the linea alba. Most often women undergo this surgery if their abdomen has lost its shape after the birth. However, it can be also conducted for health reasons in people with abdominal muscles separation (diastasis). Quite often, patients wonder whether they can get pregnant after a tummy tuck. In most cases, the operation itself doesn’t affect the child or the mother. However, after the birth, the abdomen may look even worse than before the surgery, and therefore another surgery will be necessary.
Possible Complications
During gestation, the skin of the anterior abdominal wall gradually stretches while the muscles stretch in different directions. This process helps to avoid excessive pressure on internal organs and prevents the appearance of stretch marks. In case of pregnancy after abdominoplasty, several complications may arise, especially if the conception occurred after the operation, when the recovery period has not ended yet.
Stretching during pregnancy after the abdominoplasty may cause significant changes in the tummy:
- The amount of skin on the anterior abdominal wall is reduced, which can contribute to the appearance of stretch marks and deformations on the belly after the birth.
- The increased internal pressure may cause heartburn, urinary incontinence, bowel peristalsis dysfunction and tendency to constipation. This happens primarily because direct muscles lose their ability to disperse after the surgery.
- If the scar on the front abdominal wall is not strong enough, its edges disperse during pregnancy when the skin of the abdomen is stretched. This usually happens if the conception occurs when little time has passed after the surgery.
Is it Possible to Have Tummy Tuck Done Before Pregnancy?
Of course, it’s better to undergo abdominoplasty after pregnancy and birth. However, the surgery itself cannot affect the baby’s development or the mom’s health. It can lead to serious changes in your appearance, so it’s preferably to discuss all pros and cons with a plastic surgeon.
The birth after the abdominoplasty is likely to lead to deformation of the abdominal anterior wall. Therefore, most likely the woman will have to go through this surgery and rehabilitation again. However, it happens that the pregnancy causes only minor changes that can be easily fixed with a minimal correction.
When to Plan Pregnancy after the Tummy Tuck?
Many patients are concerned about whether it is possible to give birth after abdominoplasty and how soon after the surgery it is advisable to plan a pregnancy. The experts have different opinions about it. Most plastic surgeons think that a pregnancy may be sought only six months after the surgery. This period is necessary for a complete healing of damaged tissues and the formation of a scar.
However, some specialists believe that abdominoplasty may be performed for aesthetic reasons only if the pregnancy is not planned in the following five or six years. Otherwise, it is not worth running a risk for a short-term result. Despite the different views on the pregnancy after tummy tuck, the final decision should be made taking into account all the body’s peculiarities.