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Is it Safe to Go Back on Birth Control Before Mommy Makeover?

asked 4 months ago by slimsoon in newfoundland
Latest answer by Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS
Question viewed 182 times
Tags: birth control, preparation

I am due in March and have scheduled a mommy makeover in August. Breast lift, tummy tuck, lipo, and possibly implants. Is it safe to go back on birth control before such a major surgery? Is there any I should avoid? I would like to try something that is long term such as the Mirena IUD but I am concerned about blood cloths

15 answers to Is it Safe to Go Back on Birth Control Before Mommy Makeover?

Birth Control Pills and Mommy Makeover Surgery

The major risk of taking Birth Control Pills (BCP) around the time of your surgery is that it increases the possibility that clots that can form in your veins (deep venous thrombosis) and can travel to your lungs (pulmonary embolus) which is very serious and can even cause death. The biggest risk is if you have your surgery withing the first year of (re)starting BCP, and especially if you have risk factors for clotting - such as a genetic tendency, smoker, certain medical conditions, prior... more

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Oral Contraceptives Increase the Risk of Blood Clots after Surgery

Oral contraceptives can increase your risk of blood clots after major surgery. I generally don't think the risk is significant for a smaller procedures such as breast augmentation. The mommy makeover combination of breast augmentation, breast lift, abdominoplasty and possibly liposuction is a bigger procedure and has increased risks of blood clots. For this reason I recommend that my patients use an alternative form of birth control for a month before and after surgery. more

John Squires, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Birth control and mommy make-over

Great question! Studies show that birth control pills do statistically increase your risk of having a blood clot - either in the legs or in the lungs. So, in terms of doing the safest possible operation - you would want to avoid being on the birth control pill around the time of your surgery. All the best!

Thomas Fiala, MD
Altamonte Springs Plastic Surgeon

Starting birth control before a mommy makeover.

There is some evidence that oral contraceptives can increase the risks of blood clots postoperatively. While I generally do not stop birth control for this surgery we take special precautions to minimize the risks of blood clots such as compressive boots as well as a low dose of a blood thinner during the surgery. For patients who continue their hormone based birth control through surgery we still recommend additional contraception because surgery can change... more

Adam Tattelbaum, MD
Washington DC Plastic Surgeon

www.atcosmetics.com

Is it Safe to Go Back on Birth Control Before Mommy Makeover?

There are risks of blood clots that are higher when on oral contraceptives and in a Mommy Makeover, the number of procedures performed during the surgery is high. You might want to ask your obstetrician if there is another form of birth control you can use until after the surgery that would have less risk than other types.

Julio Garcia, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

lvcosmeticsurgery.com

Birth Control, Blood Clots, and Aesthetic Surgery

Hi there- You are right to be a bit concerned... Here are the facts: Hormonally based birth control necessarily increases the risk of developing a blood clot. Longer operations, and operations in the abdominal area also increase the risk of blood clots The risk is highest within the first month or so after resuming the birth control. So what is the right thing to do? Well, consider that what you are talking about is, after all, elective surgery. It's not... more

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

www.DrArmandoSoto.com

Birth control and major surgery.

There are a lot of concerns regarding birth control and general anesthesia in regards to blood clots. Certainly, we know that women over the age of 35 and particularly smokers who take oral contraceptive pills have a higher rate of deep vein thromboses. The safest answer is to avoid oral contraceptives altogether. As for IUD devices, this is a question for you OB/Gyn. On another note, scheduling a mommy-makeover 5 months after your childbirth seems a bit rushed. Particularly any breast... more

David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.drbogue.com

Concern about BCP and Mommy Makeover

This is an excellent question and the answers will be quite variable as there is no one good answer. The pros and cons need to be weighed. BCP do increase the risk for clots in the legs and ultimately even the lungs (pulmonary embolism), which is a very significant complication. You need to discuss this issue with your operating physician and even your primary care doctor and OB-Gyn.

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

Birth Control Pill and Mommy Makeover

A risk of having surgery while on birth control pill is the development of clots in your legs. Discuss this specifically with your plastic surgeon prior to undergoing any major surgery. Steps can be taken before, during, and after surgery to help prevent this. It is not mandatory the you stop birth control pills.

J. Jason Wendel, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

www.mc.vanderbilt.edu

Birth Control Pills

As you can tell from the previous responses there is a variation of opinion. I used to not ask patients to stop birth control pills but after having a patient who was taking birth control pills have a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and some data showing possibly a 7 fold increase in DVT risk in patients taking birth control pills I now ask patients to stop them about a month before surgery. Especially for higher risk surgery like an abdominoplasty it would be highly advisable to... more

Gary Hall, MD
Kansas City Plastic Surgeon

www.hallmd.com

Birth control during mommy make-over

We do not have a policy of discontinuation of birth control pills before tummy tuck, or mommy make-over procedures. Birth control pills do pose an increased risk of blood clots or DVT though there is no guidline that they be discontinued for surgery. For advice you should also discuss this with your prescribing physician. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Surgery and birth control

I ask all my patients to stop all hormonal therapy, including birth control pills and Devices that secrete hormones, one months befre surgery and one month after surgery. All birth control pills can increase the risks of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary emboli.

Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

BCpills and Mommy Makeovers

There are some concerns about being on any form of estrogen or premarin before a general anesthetic surgical procedure because of the increased risk for DVT's( blood clots forming in the legs). Many physicians would favor a patient stopping the BCpills two weeks before and two weeks after a general anestheic. You may want to consult with your Plastic Surgeon about this as you prepare for your surgery. Good luck to you and congratulations on making the choice to... more

Francis (Frank) William Rieger, MD
Tampa Plastic Surgeon

Birth Control and Mommy Makeover

Thank you for your question. Normally, I would say that taking birth control before having a mommy makeover would not be a problem but don't know your full medical history, etc. Communicate with your surgeon and your primary care so that everyone is on the same page. Best Wishes!