Do I need to stop birth control before a tummy tuck? I would rather not if I don't need to.

The pros and cons of going off hormones is open to debate and
should be discussed with your plastic surgeon. There here are no firm
guidelines about his issue and most plastic surgeons do not require a
patient to stop birth control pillsbefore surgery.

Safety should always be the primary concern in any elective surgery. Since it
is known that taking hormones including birth control pills increases the risk of developing deep venous
thrombosis (DVT) which can travel to the lung and be potentially life
threatening, especially in a patient having a surgical procedure, it is
recommended in some of the valid scientific literature that they should ideally be stopped for 1 month prior to surgery and for 2 weeks
postoperatively.

I would suggest you find a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of
Plastic Surgery and ideally a member of the American Society for Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that you trust and are comfortable with. You should
discuss your concerns with that surgeon in person.

Robert Singer, MD FACS

La Jolla, California

It is ok to keep taking your oral contraceptives but please keep in mind that patients who are taking oral contraceptives are more likely to develop a post-op blood clot.  Also, the antibiotics taken at the time of surgery can make oral contraceptives less effective so definitely also plan on an additional form of birth control for 1+ cycles.  Best

I agree with Dr. Pousti.  Though not all of the data may be in, it's certainly considered standard practice by most conscientious surgeons to take patients off hormonal therapy prior to a tummy tuck.  I have patients cease hormones 4 weeks prior to a tummy tuck.  In my opinion this surgery has a somewhat higher risk of embolic event compared to surgeries that take the same amount of operating room time due to several factors.  The amount of pain after this surgery limits a person's mobility and the muscle plication is thought by many (including myself) to decrease venus return from the lower extremities and therefore increase the risk of clot formation relative to say a breast reduction of the same operative time frame.  In my practice I also use the blood thinner lovenox on all patients, have all patients see me the following day (to make sure they are walking), and check for clotting factor abnormalities (such as factor V Leiden) prior to surgery.  I also use a pain pump that allows for less pain and therefore a much easier time walking and being active after surgery.Be careful and weary of any surgeon that glosses over these issues and grabs your money as quickly as possible....I hope this helps.  Best wishes and good luck.