Is it safe to get pregnant after a tummy tuck?

Congratulations on your weight
loss!



In general, plastic surgeons like to
wait to perform abdominoplasty until after pregnancy is complete.



With the rise in bariatric surgery
and massive weight loss patients, tummy tucks may be performed in younger
patients to remove the excess loose skin.  The decision to tighten the muscle should be discussed with one's plastic surgeon and appropriately individualized.  

Thank you for your question.  It is not unsafe to proceed with another pregnancy following a tummy tuck.  However, you need to be aware that another pregnancy could result in loose abdominal skin again.  You may want to consider waiting until after you have finished having children to proceed with a tummy tuck,Best of luck,

Thanks for your question. I suggest that you wait until after your pregnancy to undergo and abdominoplasty... the reason being is that your pregnancy will most likely ruin the results of your abdominoplasty. You will be able to enjoy your results for a longer period of time if you have it after. All the best,Dr. ResultsMiami, FL

If you are planning to have children, then you may want to postpone the tummy tuck surgery until you are done having children. The reason being, during surgery, the vertical muscles are tightened and future pregnancies can divide those muscles. I hope this helps.

Thank you for the question. The simple answer is yes, you can definitely have children after a tummy tuck. The only consideration is that pregnancy may impact your tummy tuck results, causing stretch marks or abdominal muscle separation. Generally, it's recommended that you have your tummy tuck done after pregnancy but this recommendation has nothing to do with safety issues.
An in-person exam with a board certified plastic surgeon is always the best way to fully assess your needs and address your concerns. Best of luck! 

Congratulations on this significant weight loss; you should be very proud of this accomplishment! Yes, it is possible to safely carry a baby after having the abdominoplasty procedure. In general, it is in your best interest, to be as certain as possible that no more pregnancies are in your future prior to having the tummy tuck. Pregnancy after abdominoplasty may cause changes that will require further surgery to correct. Generally speaking, the “ideal” patient for tummy tuck surgery is one who has completed pregnancies, is psycho socially/emotionally/financially stable, has an excellent social support system surrounding him/her, is capable of arranging enough recovery time, does not smoke and who has reached a long-term stable weight. I hope this, and the attached link ( dedicated to abdominal wall contouring surgery concerns) helps.  Best wishes.

Hello. Very good question. It is preferable that you complete your child bearing before you have a TT. That sequence allows you to preserve your aesthetic results. There are reports,however, that indicate that some patients who have had a full abdominoplasty and subsequently get pregnant can maintain good aesthetics after their delivery. Ultimately your best bet is to have your babies first then plan for your TT.   Good luck. Dr. Burnett

In general, if you plan pregnancies in the near future, it is best to wait until after the pregnancies to have a tummy tuck.  However, in certain patients, such as young patients like yourself who have lost a great deal of weight and have substantial skin excess, it is not unreasonable to have a tummy tuck prior to pregnancies, particularly if you are in your early 20's and don't plan to get pregnant in the very near future.  I have had several such patients who later on got pregnant years after their tummy tuck.  Most of these patients did not have their skin and muscles substantially stretched out following the pregnancy.  In patients that do, however, a tummy tuck revision could be performed in the future.

You ask a very important question.  My patients often wonder if they should wait to have a tummy tuck until they are done having children.  In most situations, I tell them yes, they should wait.  This is because pregnancy will stretch out the abdominal skin and muscles as the baby grows to full size.  Once the pregnancy is over, it is very difficult to say with any certainty how much your skin and muscles will "shrink back" down to your pre-pregnancy size (especially if you have had a tummy tuck before getting pregnant).  It is also very common to develop stretch marks during pregnancy, which is essentially scarred skin that will not retract back down.  With that being said, it is safe to get pregnant after having a tummy tuck, but you run a real risk of "undoing" the tummy tuck's results.In your situation, you have lost a significant amount of weight, and I can understand your desire to get rid of your loose skin via tummy tuck.  At this point you need to weigh the pros and cons of having your surgery before childbirth.  You are very young, and if you are not planning on having children for 6+ years, then I wouldn't necessarily tell you that you should wait to have a tummy tuck for that long.  However, you must keep in mind what I mentioned in the previous paragraph. Overall, if you want to proceed with a tummy tuck then that is a perfectly good decision in light of your significant weight loss.  Always be sure to choose a board certified Plastic Surgeon when it is time for your consultation.  Best of luck!