Breast Reduction: Q&A

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Safe Pregnancy After Breast Reduction?

I'm 26 and I don't have kids yet. I would like to know, can I have a pregnancy without complications after a breast reduction? Please help. Thank you in advance.

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20 Doctor Answers | Asked by Marceline in Pub in Haiti

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Breast reduction and breast feeding

The vast majority of our breast reduction patients have been able to breast feed. That said, the more extensive the reduction, the higher the chance that breast feeding might not be possible. Most mothers who had uncomfortably large breasts before pregnancy are very glad they had breast reduction when their breasts experience the normal volume increase of pregnancy.

Yes, pregnancy is safe after breast reduction

Breast reduction should not interfere with having safe pregnancy in the future. Changes in the breast size should not affect your chances of getting pregnant. Although some women have been able to breast feed after breast reduction, in general this is not predictable. If you are planning to breast feed following breast reduction, it is important that you discuss this with your plastic surgeon prior to undergoing reduction mammaplasty.

Pregnancy OK after breast reduction

Marceline: Breast reduction should not interfere with your pregnancy at all. Your surgeon may recommend not attempting conception until the surgery has healed well (a few months). Breast feeding ability is typically maintained with most reduction techniques. Breast feeding, gravity and getting older can all effect the breast contour, volume and firmness so some women will desire future procedures such as breast lift, but that is no reason to be concerned about pregnancy....

Yes

A breast reduction will have no effect on pregnancy, it will not create complications. Breast reduction can effect breast feeding, however. The potential for breast feeding is decreased after a reduction.

It is okay to have a breast reduction prior to a pregnancy

Don't worry. It is okay to have a breast reduction prior to pregnancy. Depending on the technique used, your ducts should remain intact and you should be able to breast feed. Breast reduction patients are some of our happiest patients because removing all of the extra weight allows you to lead a more active life. Good luck.

Pregnancy is safe after a breast reduction

Pregancy is safe after breast reduction surgery. A more common question, is the ability to breast feed in most cases, with modern techniques the nipple is left attached to the underlying ducts and nerves so it preserves the ability to "try" and breast feed. Having said that, some women with large breasts make very little milk, and some women with smaller breasts make a lot of milk. I encourage my patients to try and breast feed after breast reduction surgery, and most of them are... more

Carry on

Marceline, Pregnancy really is not impacted by the performance of a breast reduction prior to it. Breast feeding may be affected, as some breast tissue, some of which produces milk, is removed during the operation. You may carry on with your childbearing plans. Good luck!

Yes you can

It is totally safe to become pregnant after a breast reduction. If you have never breast fed, you don't know what your body's capability for that is. I always tell patients they have a 50:50 chance of breast feeding afterwards. The surgery shouldn't substantially change your body's ability to breast feed using most modern techniques.

Yes

I don't know if you had a reduction already or not. In any event, you should be fine. Several things to note include however. You may not be able to breast feed, or you may not produce enough milk, or you may be just fine (just have to see what happens). Your reduced breasts will be affected just the same as unoperated breasts so you may get a little sagging, enlargement, stretch marks, etc. sek

Pregnancy and breast reduction are unrelated

Breast reduction surgery has no known impact on the ability to get pregnant or the course of future pregnancy. It also does not directly affect the ability to breast feed. There are reduction techniques that cut through milk ducts beneath the nipple and patients are still able to breast feed. However, there is no direct method to predict if a patient will ordinarily possess the ability to breast feed appropriately since some patients cannot breast feed their baby for various reasons even... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Breast feeding could be an issue depending on the method

Hi Marceline There is no reason you should not have a successful pregnancy after breast reduction. Breast feeding can sometimes be an issue, so find out what method of reduction your doctor plans on using. If it is a free nipple graft, then you won't be able to breast feed. Many breast reduction patients who have been pregnant have been able to breast feed, and there are even websites devoted to the topic. Good luck..

Safe Pregnancy After Breast Reduction

Breast reduction will not affect a safe pregnancy in the future. Moreover, the vast majority of our breast reduction patients have been able to breast feed however after more extensive breast reductions then breast feeding may be affected. During your consultation, the board certified plastic surgeons will be able to advise you further based on the scope of the surgery.

Breast Reduction - Safe Pregnancy After Breast Reduction?

There is no reason why you should not be able to have a safe pregnancy after a breast reduction, aside from any issues related to the pregnancy itself or your overall health. Having a breast reduction at this stage in your life does not, in my experience or understanding, adversely impact a future pregnancy. It may even help - to the extent that the normal increase in breast size that is associated with pregnancy will be reduced to some degree. Breast feeding is... more

Pregnancy after Breast reduction?

Thank you for the question. You should not have any specific problems with pregnancy ( related to the breast reduction surgery). There is no accurate way of predicting exactly how the breasts will change after pregnancy and there is not much that can be done to avoid these changes ( if they are going to occur). Maintaining a stable weight (under the guidance of your OB/GYN) will be helpful in minimizing breast changes that occur secondary to significant weight... more

Pregnancy after breast reduction is no problem.

Many young women have breast reduction and then get pregnant. Most can breast feed although the operation certainly is not going to make that capability more likely. The pregnancy can affect the appearance of the breast with and without breast reduction.

Pregnancy okay after breast reduction

Most of the time a pregnancy following a breast reduction does not complicate or compromise your surgical outcome. Breast feeding may or may not be successful after a reduction, though. That being said, many women cannot breast feed anyway, whether they've had a reduction or not so it's impossible to predict whether or not you could successfully breast feed.

Pregnancy is safe after breast reduction

It is safe to become pregnant after breast reduction surgery. However, you may have a decrease in milk production or you may not be able to produce milk for breast-feeding. This depends entirely on the technique that is used for your reduction surgery. It is best to discuss your concerns with a board-certified plastic surgeon who is very experienced in breast reduction. Your surgeon may be able to modify the surgery to keep the central portion of the breast intact and... more

Breast Reduction won't prevent or complicate pregnancy but may compromise ability to nurse

Breast reduction surgery will have no effect on your ability to become pregnant nor will it lead to any complications during pregnancy. However, your ability to nurse your child may be compromised. Certain breast reduction techniques, such as the one that completely detaches the nipple complex, will make it impossible to nurse and others may or may not. If you are intent on nursing then seriously consider postponing your reduction until after you stop having children.

Pregnancy and breast reduction

You certainly can become pregnant after a breast reduction. It should have no impact on your ability to become pregnant. The pregnancy may affect your shape of your breast.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pregnancy should be fine after breast reduction

This generally depends on the technique used to accomplish your breast reduction. If the nipple and areolar were surgically separated from the ducts (graft) then it may be impossible for you to nurse. However, in the vast majority of breast reduction procedures, these connections are left intact. Therefore, you should be capable of nursing, if that is your question. Of course, prior to your breast reduction, we caution women that nursing may be difficult or impossible following surgery but... more