Pregnancy after a preventative mastectomy?

Question

I'm having my preventative double mastectomy done in January and I'm wandering if this will cause me any problems in conceiving my next child ? I have a 3 year old but am wanting to start trying for a baby next summer . I'm having immediate implant construction with nipple sparing and just wandered if this is likely to effect my hormone levels and fertility ? Thanks

Tommaso Addona, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. 
A mastectomy itself should not have any effects on your fertility; however, treatment such as radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapies can effect this. I recommend speaking with your surgeon to discuss your concerns.

Tassos Dionisopoulos, MD · Answer

great question and one that is coming up more often as younger women are undergoing mastectomies, either for actual cancer or prophylactically. the short answer is that although we cant say 100% you will not have any difficulty conceiving, there isn't any reason to believe that you would in this scenario. best of luck!

Paul J. Leahy, MD · Answer

Hello. No, having mastectomy surgery should not, in and of itself, affect your ability to conceive. Having chemotherapy and radiation, or other GYN surgeries may do that. But, the best advice would come from your OB/GYN physician. Best wishes.

Helen Perakis, MD · Answer

Greetings. That's a great question. It is very courageous that you are taking your health into your own hands and undergoing a preventative double mastectomy. I think that a nipple sparing type of mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction is the ideal scenario. The actual surgery should have no effect on your hormone levels or your fertility. The only question is that even with a nipple sparing mastectomy- there may still be a minimal amount of breast tissue left behind and this may still become reactive during the pregnancy. I would have a more in depth discussion with your surgical oncologist about this and whether it would make more sense to have your next child and then proceed with your double mastectomy- again that is a question for your surgical oncologist, not your plastic surgeon.

Good Luck with your surgery.

Good Luck with your surgery.

Pregnancy after a preventative mastectomy?

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