Many women who undergo — or wish to undergo — a tummy tuck surgery are concerned about whether they will get pregnant after the procedure. The short answer to whether you can get pregnant after a tummy tuck is yes: tummy tuck surgery does not affect your ability to have a healthy, full-term pregnancy, and will not result in any pregnancy complications. However, a pregnancy might affect the results of your tummy tuck, which may require a touch-up or revision surgery.
What Is A Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure where a plastic surgeon removes excess fat and skin around the abdomen and tightens weak abdominal muscles. The procedure also restores muscles that have become separated or weakened. The result is a flatter tummy, a toned, firm appearance, and a more pleasing silhouette. A tummy tuck procedure can be performed alongside other complimentary cosmetic surgery procedures, such as a breast augmentation or liposuction, to further enhance the overall appearance and silhouette, and boost self-confidence.
Who Is A Good Candidate For A Tummy Tuck?
There are many reasons why a patient may wish to undergo a tummy tuck procedure. In many cases, the patient may have stubborn abdominal fat or excess skin that does not respond to changes in diet and exercise. Tummy tuck candidates are also often those looking to reverse “pregnancy belly,” who have had difficulty regaining the flat and toned stomach they may have had before becoming pregnant.
Both men and women can be good candidates for a tummy tuck but should be at a stable weight at the time of their procedure, within 10 to 15 pounds of their ultimate goal weight, non-smokers, and realistic about their expected results.
Is It Safe To Get Pregnant After A Tummy Tuck?
Yes, it is safe to get pregnant after a tummy tuck. Having had a tummy tuck procedure will not add any complications to a pregnancy, and does not impact your chances of having a healthy, full-term pregnancy. Your abdomen will stretch as usual to accommodate your pregnancy, though you may notice that you do not start “showing” as early as expected, or as early as you did with previous pregnancies if this is not your first child.
However, individuals who have already had a tummy tuck surgery when they become pregnant may find that the pregnancy affects the results of their surgery. Because of the weight fluctuations and abdominal stretching that naturally occurs during pregnancy, you may find that you have loose, sagging skin, or experience a separation of the abdominal muscles, after you give birth. In these cases, it is possible to undergo surgical correction. This correction could be a touch-up procedure or a revision procedure, depending on the patient.
Other Common Concerns
While it is completely safe to get pregnant after a tummy tuck, you still may have some concerns about the effect a pregnancy could have on your tummy tuck, and whether there are any other considerations to keep in mind if you get pregnant after having had a tummy tuck surgery, such as whether or not a C-section delivery will affect the results of your tummy tuck, and whether or not you can maintain the results of a tummy tuck after becoming pregnant.
Do Tummy Tucks Make It Harder To Conceive?
No, tummy tucks do not make it harder to conceive. A tummy tuck procedure does not affect the function of your reproductive system or your fertility.
How Long Should You Wait To Get Pregnant After A Tummy Tuck?
To minimize the effects of pregnancy on your tummy tuck, it is best to wait until you have had a full recovery from your tummy tuck until becoming pregnant. Generally, a tummy tuck is fully healed after about four to six months, which would be the optimal time to wait after your procedure, before conceiving.
Will Having A C-Section Affect A Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck will have no impact on your ability to have a safe cesarean section delivery. Those who have had a tummy tuck surgery will have additional scar tissue around their abdomen, which will be encountered by their OBGYN during delivery. However, this additional scar tissue is not too different from the additional scar tissue that would be present from a repeat c-section, and will not pose a problem for your OBGYN or hospital staff. You should always inform your OBGYN that you have had an abdominoplasty.
You may find that your OBGYN cannot close your c-section scar with the precision of a plastic surgeon, which will affect the appearance of your abdomen. Some individuals who have been pregnant may wish for their plastic surgeon to correct the appearance of a c-section scar with a touch-up or revision abdominoplasty very shortly after childbirth. Still, it’s best to wait a few months.
Is It Possible To Maintain The Tummy Tuck Results After Pregnancy?
For the most part, having a tummy tuck procedure is best done when you are finished having children. In this instance, you may want to consider what is known as a “mommy makeover”, which is a tummy tuck combined with a breast lift or breast augmentation, occasionally some liposuction and, if desired, a vaginal rejuvenation treatment. This combination of treatments is designed to reverse some of the physical effects pregnancy can have on the body, which includes not only excess skin and fat around the abdomen, but sagging breasts, excess weight in other areas of the body such as around the hips, and to strengthen the vaginal wall, which can become weakened after childbirth.
Book a consultation today with Dr. Bell to determine which procedures are right for you and your desired outcomes.
