Women who are considering tummy tuck surgery to eliminate excess skin in the abdomen and tighten the underlying muscles often wonder about the timing of such a procedure: is it better to wait until after pregnancy? And, are there any risks to getting pregnant after having the surgery?
As far as the first question goes, our board-certified plastic surgeon typically recommends that patients wait on undergoing tummy tuck surgery until after they have completed their families. Remember, tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) is a major surgical procedure that is often performed to correct many of the physical changes that are caused by pregnancy. These concerns include stretched abdominal muscles and loose, inelastic skin left over following the birth of the baby. Tummy tuck surgery pulls the underlying muscles taut, eliminates excess skin, and redrapes the remaining skin for a firmer, flatter appearance in the abdomen.
While it is certainly possible to have a normal pregnancy even after one has had tummy tuck surgery, the fact is that your abdomen will undergo many changes that will potentially negate the effects of the procedure, making it necessary to obtain another abdominoplasty to get it back to its previous shape. This may not be the case with all patients; however, it does happen. That’s why Dr. Semira Bayati often advises women to wait until they are no longer planning to have children before considering a tummy tuck surgery.
