Will Pregnancy Affect My Breast Implants?

Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Implants

A question I hear rather frequently from patients interested in breast augmentation is whether or not a future pregnancy will have any negative effect on their breast implants. Before answering this question, it’s crucial to mention that pregnancy and breastfeeding have a unique effect on every woman’s body, so some individuals may encounter completely different physical changes than others. Having said that, the majority of women will experience subtle to significant swelling of the breasts throughout their pregnancy, typically followed by some degree of volume reduction once breastfeeding has stopped.

Depending on the specific changes experienced, there may be some ptosis (drooping) and/or skin laxity present in the breasts. If this is the case, a breast lift and/or larger implants may be needed to restore the pre-pregnancy appearance of the breasts, should you desire to do so. In contrast, however, I’ve had some patients who received breast implants prior to having children who thought their breasts actually looked better after pregnancy, as stretching of the breast skin during pregnancy helped make their implants look more natural. Everyone is different.

Regardless of the potential changes that may occur during and after pregnancy and breastfeeding, the integrity and stability of your breast implants should not be compromised, no matter the specific type of implants you chose to receive. In truth, a possible benefit of having breast implants while pregnant is the degree of resistance they may provide to any potential volume loss that might be encountered.

Ultimately, it is virtually impossible to accurately predict the degree to which the breasts will change during and after pregnancy, but no matter the significance of these changes, they should have no compromising effect on the structure and durability of your breast implants.

– Dr. Daniel C. Mills, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

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