What You Need to Know About Breast Implants and Pregnancy

Topic: What You Need to Know About Breast Implants and Pregnancy

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can change the shape, size, and look of your breasts — so if you have breast implants and you’re pregnant (or you’re thinking about becoming pregnant), it’s only natural to have questions.

Here’s a look at some frequently asked questions — and more importantly, their answers.

How does pregnancy affect breast implants?

The implants themselves will be fine — even as breast tissue grows and changes with rising progesterone and estrogen levels during pregnancy.

“Breast implants are designed to be resilient and resistant to deflating, ruptures, and leakages,” explains Dr. Samuel Lin, plastic surgeon and an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. “The pressure caused by growing breast tissue is very unlikely to cause implants to rupture and change shape.”

However, the changes in your breast tissue, coupled with natural weight gain during pregnancy, can sometimes weaken breast tissue because your breasts expand, then contract. This can make them change shape or sag for some people — though not everyone — which might change the look of your breasts even with implants.

Should you wait a certain period of time after getting implants to get pregnant?

Ideally, yes.

“In general, it is best to be fully healed after surgery before getting pregnant,” explains Dr. Constance Chen, plastic surgeon and breast reconstruction specialist. “That said, it takes about 6 to 8 weeks to become fully healed after surgery and it takes 9 months from conception to delivery, so it’s unlikely for surgery to interfere with pregnancy unless you have surgery during pregnancy.”

Still, if you wait 3 to 6 months after the surgery to get pregnant, explains Lin, it “allows your breasts to better withstand the changes associated with pregnancy.”

If you do get pregnant soon after your surgery, let your surgeon and your obstetrician know so they can monitor you and minimize any risks of complications.

Topic Discussed: What You Need to Know About Breast Implants and Pregnancy

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