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Leaking PIP Implant and 15 Weeks Pregnant, What is the Best Option for Me?

I have PIP implants that were put in 4.5 years ago, and the right implant is leaking. I am 15 weeks pregnant with our first child. Breast feeding is incredibly important to me. Could leaving the implants in with this 'non-medical grade' silicon leaking effect my child in utero and during breast feeding? Could the surgery to have them removed reduced my ability breast feed? What is the best decision for the health of my child? Thank you.

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8 Doctor Answers | Asked by Marielle33

Doctor Answers (8)
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PIP Implants and Pregnancy

PIP Implants Strategy if you are pregnant: You are correct that PIP breast implants need to be replaced as it is an inferior product that was recalled as they did not use medical grade silicone and manufacturing processes of the shell. If you are pregnant then it might be better to wait until after the delivery and breast feeding is finished as the risks may out weigh the benefit especially during the first trimester.To make the best decision you should consult with your... more

PIP implants

If you ahd PIP implants in the US , then they should be saline. Unless you are having an infection or major complication with the implants now, you should wait until after your child is born to get treatment for the deflated implant.

Steven Wallach, MD

13 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pregnant with leaking implants

Sorry to hear about your problem. However, unfortunately, I would not operate on a pregnant patient for anything other than a malignant or infectious condition. You will need to wait until after giving birth to undergo the surgery. If you had a breast augmentation in the US, then, unless the implants were off-shore goods brought in illegally, they should be saline. I recommend that you contact your plastic surgeon to discuss this and to ascertain precisely what... more

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Did you have silicone or saline PIP implants

The PIP implants that were used in U.S were saline and silicone were used in rest of the world. If you have saline implants,then the option is to leave the implants alone and replace them after pregnancy. If you have silicone implants,you need to see your surgeon for evaluation.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant leaking, and pregnant

The best option for both of you is to delay implant removal/replacement until after delivery. You might even consider a delay several months longer if you plan to breast feed. The harm from the PIP implant will be hard to quantify but numbers suggest the risk will be very small for most. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Breast implants, PIP implants

This is a very difficult question to answer. You have to weigh the risk of surgery during a pregnancy with the risk of leaving your PIP implants in until after you deliver and finish breast feeding. At this point, no one really knows what the potential risks are for using mechanical grade silicone gel in the PIP implants as opposed to medical grade silicone gel. With that in mind, I would think that the risk to your child (and to you) for having surgery to remove them... more

Ruptured Silicone Breast Implant during Pregnancy?

I'm sorry to hear about the stressful situation you are in. I'm also sorry to give you different advice than was provided by my colleague earlier. This can be confusing. I think you would be best off not having surgical intervention until after you have delivered. After delivery, you can have the breast implant, free silicone, and the surrounding capsule removed. This operation could possibly be coordinated during the same time when you are in... more

What to do with leakin PIP implants?

The present position of the American Society of Plastic Surgery is that if the implants are ruptured, they should be removed. This will remove all of the non-medical grade silicone that is possible. Microscopic amounts of the silicone will remain. There are studies showing silicone in mothers breast milk but I'm not sure as there is firm evidence to say this causes any problems. If no rupture is present, implants can be taken out under local anesthesia without the risk... more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

19 reviews

Boston Plastic Surgeon

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