Blog Article
Breast Augmentation: Should I Wait Until After Kids?
Choosing to undergo a breast augmentation is a big decision in and of itself. For many women, it is a decision made only more difficult by their desire to have a family sometime down the road. How will the choice they are making now affect—or be affected by—a future pregnancy?
Having been asked this many times at his Denver practice, Dr. Mouchantat has found that this question is especially disconcerting for women in the earlier years of their lives. While children may not be imminent, they are something that many women may someday want. Does this sound like you? Here, we explore four common considerations that may influence your decision.
Timing
How soon are you planning on having children? If you plan on getting pregnant within the year, you may want to consider delaying your breast augmentation until after your pregnancy. If, however, having children is still a ways into the future, you will have many years to enjoy your implants before the changes that may come with pregnancy.
Safety
While it is always a good idea to discuss any plans of children with your surgeon, future pregnancies will not disqualify you as a candidate for augmentation. Likewise, implants will not affect your chances of getting pregnant, and multiple studies have shown that breast augmentation and implants pose no additional safety risks to you and your pregnancy. All breast implants have been carefully tested and are durable enough to withstand fluctuation.
Breast Feeding
Statistically speaking, there is an 80 to 90 percent chance that you will be able to breast feed after augmentation. The breast implants are placed under the milk ducks and therefore should not affect your ability to produce milk. Understanding the importance that breast feeding has, Dr. Mouchantat is careful to decrease the impact on the breast gland and the corresponding ducts to the nipple.
Changes
Regardless of whether you have implants or not, your breasts will change in size and shape during pregnancy. For better or worse, breast implants will not prevent the natural changes that occur to your breasts with pregnancy. Just as any with any other dramatic change to the breasts, pregnancy may result in the need for implant revision or a breast lift.
Ultimately, the timing of your breast augmentation is uniquely personal to you. What is right for one woman may not be for another. If you are questioning as to whether you should wait until after children to have your breast augmentation, we encourage you to schedule a time with Dr. Mouchantat to discuss what the best choice is for you.