The benefits of breast augmentation following pregnancy are obvious. For our patients in Long Island, breast augmentation adds volume and shape to breasts that may have become loose and deflated after pregnancy. However, what is not obvious to many is if breast implants are a good idea before pregnancy. Many patients have questions regarding how pregnancy will affect the results of breast augmentation as well as if breast implants will interfere with pregnancy or nursing. These are important questions to ask if a woman is considering breast augmentation before having children. While it is completely safe to both the mother and the child for breast augmentation to be performed before pregnancy, there are factors to consider. Long Island plastic surgeonStephen T. Greenberg discusses breast implants and pregnancy with his patients so they will be fully informed before making the decision to either have breast augmentation surgery before or after they have had children.
Once patients understand that breast implants pose no safety hazard for pregnancy or the development of the baby, there are typically two main concerns that they have: the impact of pregnancy on the aesthetics of the breast implants and the impact of breast implants on nursing.
Will Pregnancy Affect Breast Implants?
It is possible for pregnancy to have a negative effect on the aesthetics of breast implants. Because the breasts change so much during pregnancy, there is no way to guarantee that the breasts will look the same following pregnancy. While the breast implants themselves should not be affected, the natural breast tissue may stretch and change so much that the way the breast implants sit in the breasts is different after pregnancy than it was before. Some patients who have had breast augmentation before pregnancy find themselves unhappy with the appearance of the breasts after pregnancy. While a corrective procedure can be performed to once again improve the appearance of the breasts, this is a factor to consider when choosing the timing of breast augmentation surgery.
Will Breast Implants Affect Nursing?
Many women choose to nurse babies because of the many health benefits it provides. With this in mind, women are eager to learn if breast implants will affect nursing. In most cases, women with breast implants are able to nurse without any problems. It is important to discuss nursing with Dr. Greenberg at a breast augmentation consultation because it will be a factor in determining which incision will be used during surgery. While most incisions do not cause any damage to the milk ducts, some incisions do pose more of a risk, so those should be avoided in cases where the patient plans to become pregnant in the future.
Overall, the decision of when to have breast augmentation surgery is a personal one. While it is perfectly safe to experience both pregnancy and nursing with breast implants, there are many women who choose to wait until they are done having children before undergoing breast augmentation. Dr. Greenberg gives patients all the information they need to make this personal decision with all the facts in mind.
Schedule a Consultation
If you have more questions regarding breast implants and pregnancy, schedule a consultation with Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg at your earliest convenience. Dr. Greenberg will happily answer any questions you may have so that you can make an educated decision regarding breast implants and pregnancy.