There are many public misconceptions regarding aesthetic plastic surgery procedures and according to Dr. David Bottger — a board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon — it’s perfectly natural and understandable to have questions about surgery and their potential effects. Namely, many women in Philadelphia come to our practice wondering how tummy tuck surgery, an abdominal body sculpting procedure, may impact pregnancy after a tummy tuck.
Simply put, a tummy tuck will not prevent you from getting pregnant. The procedure, also referred to as “abdominoplasty,” won’t change any element of your ability to become pregnant or carry out a healthy, successful pregnancy. A tummy tuck is purely cosmetic, removing loose skin and tightening the stretched muscles of the abdomen. These separated muscles (known as diastasis) often result from a previous pregnancy or weight gain. Since the procedure does not affect the uterus, a tummy tuck will not inhibit childbearing after the procedure.
It’s worth understanding that a pregnancy will likely undermine the results of a previous tummy tuck. The procedure is designed to tighten loose abdominal muscles and pregnancy puts a tremendous strain on the muscles that were previously repaired. This is the very reason why so many women who undergo a tummy tuck are recent mothers. As a result, another pregnancy after abdominoplasty will once again stretch the skin and muscles that have been tightened by a tummy tuck.
Ultimately, a tummy tuck will not interfere with your ability to get pregnant. While having children is still medically possible, patients should only undergo the procedure after they have no future plans for pregnancy. As one of the primary factors that stretch the skin and abdominal muscles, having children after a tummy tuck may undo the results of your surgery. Of course, we understand that life doesn’t always go according to plan and you can rest assured that if you do become pregnant after a tummy tuck, the procedure will not threaten your health or the health of your baby.
If you live in or around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and you have questions about a tummy tuck, please contact Dr. David A. Bottger today at (610) 227-6123 for a consultation.