Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure involving the removal of excess fat and tissue from the abdominal area to produce a tighter, more toned stomach. It is a perfect procedure for restoring your body shape and contour.
Generally, plastic surgeons recommend that women undergo tummy tuck after they are done with having children. In some cases, there may still be a desire to get pregnant after getting the procedure. For these women, there may be some apprehensions as to whether it will be safe to do so.
Can you get pregnant after a tummy tuck?
Yes. A pregnancy after a tummy tuck is safe for both you and your unborn child. The pregnancy will also not adversely affect the results achieved through the procedure.
A tummy tuck does not adversely affect your abdominal walls and can still stretch and widen seamlessly to accommodate a growing fetus. If you don’t experience any complications after abdominoplasty, your fertility will not be affected and you’ll have no problems getting pregnant.
How soon can you get pregnant after a tummy tuck?
Since tummy tuck is a major surgery, it is important to give your body enough time to heal and recover from the side effects of the procedure. a A pregnancy is quite demanding on the body, you will need to be fully recovered for it.
In general, you need to wait for at least one year after abdominoplasty to consider a pregnancy. This period will not just allow your body to heal and improve, but will also help you and your doctor to rule out potential complications from the surgery. Nevertheless, before you get pregnant, make sure you speak with both your plastic surgeon and gynecologist about it.
For some mothers, the belly may not stretch out enough after a tummy tuck and may not look the same as their previous pregnancies. tThis is completely safe and harmless to the growing child.
As long as the abdominal wall is able to stretch enough for the baby, there is no need for revision surgery. A tummy tuck revision is only necessary if and when the skin and abdominal muscles stretches too much during pregnancy, especially in the case of a twin pregnancies.
Will a pregnancy affect your tummy tuck results?
Provided you stay healthy, the results of the tummy tuck procedure will last long after the pregnancy.
In some cases, a touch-up procedure might be required after a pregnancy. It is also important to keep in mind that the effects of pregnancy depend on the body type and the extent of muscle repair that occurs before and after the pregnancy.
A tummy tuck leaves a scar that is usually hidden below the lower abdomen But, during pregnancy, the skin on the belly can stretch and expose the scar, which one may find unsightly.
If you need a caesarian section (C-section), the incision will be made along the tummy tuck scar, making the scar even more visible. However, you should know that having a C-section after a tummy tuck is not much different from having it before the procedure. Usually, your gynecologist has to work with a scar from a previous procedure, whether from a prior C-section or from a tummy tuck.
The gynecologist will not have any issues working with the abdominoplasty scar. The only minor problem is that the gynecologist may not close the new C-section with the skill of a plastic surgeon and that may affect the appearance of the scar.
Informed plastic surgery decision-making
Would you like to get pregnant after a tummy tuck? If so, schedule your consultation with a plastic surgeon today to discuss your options.
At Politis Plastic Surgery, we ensure that you consult with both an OB-GYN and a plastic surgeon so that you are better guided on how to plan for pregnancy after a tummy tuck.
As a practice, we often offer abdominoplasty to women who are done having children. However, we still ensure that those who have undergone the procedure can have a safe, successful pregnancy.
For more information on tummy tuck and other plastic surgery procedures, contact us today.
