8 weeks pregnant and 7 weeks PO Tummy tuck - what complications can this cause?

Question

I just found out I am pregnant...about 8 weeks. The problem is I am also 7 weeks PO a tummy tuck. I never thought this would or could happen to me. I am 40 and have never been able to get pregnant. I am stressed out please advise on if the surgery or pain meds after could of done any harm and if it is safe to be pregnant at this time due to recovery from TT.

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

If you had your tummy tuck after you were already pregnant, your pregnancy test should have been positive on the morning of surgery and resulted in a cancellation of the procedure.  It is possible to have a pregnancy that is very early and not detected by urine testing.   The OB/GYN needs to be involved in your postoperative care.

Alejandro Nogueira, MD · Answer

Nowadays modern anesthesia drugs are compatible with pregnancy and are, in general, non teratogenic (harmful for embryo's development). Best you can do is have a talk with the anesthetist in charge, review the therapies applied and discuss one by one their effect, you'll receive the right advice. Most likely you did not receive any toxic drug; keep in mind pregnant women receive regularly operations: apendix, fractures, severed tendons, cesarean section, etc., so aneshtesia is compatible with pregnancy in wide margins.However, you and your baby run a real risk because the growth of the now embryo and later baby will be impaired or harmed by the muscular work 
done suring the TT (check this point, some surgeons do not perform muscular work, if the surgeon did not plicate the muscles then you are safe). Even your own health is in rigk for venous thrombosis or pulmonary collapse and other issues.I recommend 2 
options in case you had muscular reinforcement done during TT:-undergo immediately surgery to release the muscular 
plication your surgeon did to reinforce your abdominal muscles at the 
rectus and/or oblique units, so that to release any tighness agains your phaetus growth; this brings backs the bloating and looseness of your muscles-interrupt your pregnancy (based on your ethics and legal local regulations)This imcompatibility does not happen if the TT had be done more or less 1 year prior to getting pregnand; this is so because the muscular reinforcement scars become elastic with time, unlike when they have been recently done, at early stages they act as real barriers for any abdominal increase, thus affecting your uterine development.You must address this issue urgently with all the stakeholders: surgeon, anesthetist, gynaecologist, husband, lawyer, etc.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Most surgery centers require a pregnancy test the day of surgery to prevent this. My advice is to seek genetic consultation from a geneticist and also ask your OB doctor.

David Liland, MD · Answer

This situation has happened many times due to the time required to make the hormones picked up in our standard urine pregnancy tests. I have had 3 patients to tell me they were probably pregnant during their surgeries. Fortunately there have never been any consequences as the births were normal. It will be important to discuss this with your obstetrician to review the anesthesia and postop medications and follow the baby with tests and sonos in development. At 40 you will have special considerations also. After tummy tucks pregnancies usually go routine in that the abdomen will stretch to accommodate the baby. I would like to congratulate you on your first pregnancy and wish you the best luck.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

I've never heard of anyone getting pregnant within a week of and abdominoplasty. I don't see a problem bringing the pregnancy to completion but my guess is you'll suffer more than the average patient.

8 weeks pregnant and 7 weeks PO Tummy tuck - what complications can this cause?

Answers (5)

Answer: Pregnancy undetected before surgery performed- Tummy Tuck

Answer: Pregnancy undetected before surgery performed- Tummy Tuck

Answer: Pregnancy after an abdominoplasty certainly possible but may be a bit more painful

Answer: Pregnancy after an abdominoplasty certainly possible but may be a bit more painful

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Everything you need to know about Tummy Tuck

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8 weeks pregnant and 7 weeks PO Tummy tuck - what complications can this cause?

Answers (5)

Answer: Pregnancy undetected before surgery performed- Tummy Tuck

Answer: Pregnancy undetected before surgery performed- Tummy Tuck

Answer: Pregnancy after an abdominoplasty certainly possible but may be a bit more painful

Answer: Pregnancy after an abdominoplasty certainly possible but may be a bit more painful

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Tummy Tuck

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.