Silicone Implants, Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
Like all surgical procedures, breast augmentation and reconstruction carries certain risks and possible complications. One of the risks involved specifically with breast implants revolves around pregnancy and breast feeding. If you are considering breast implant surgery and the possibility of having children in the future, it is important to understand the relationship between silicone implants and pregnancy.
Silicone implants and pregnancy can be a major factor for a lot of women who get breast augmentation because of the young age that women are allowed to receive implants. The age requirement differs for saline and silicone breast implants but only by a couple of years. Saline implants require a minimum age of 18, whereas, patients receiving silicone implants must be at least 22 years old. This is for breast augmentation, or cosmetic, purposes only. Women receiving breast reconstruction surgery are eligible for either type of implant at any age.
Because of the young age of potential breast implant patients, there is a high probability that most of them will likely have children in the future. Silicone implants and pregnancy reach a crossroads when and if the mother decides to breastfeed. Breast implant surgery can change or eliminate any sensitivity in the nipple area. Also, the implants can cause milk production to be lower or to be nonexistent. The placement and incision location of the breast implants affects the likelihood that these changes can occur, but nothing can eliminate the possibility of not being able to breastfeed.
Pregnancy is a crazy time for women in regards to hormones and body changes. Silicone implants can rupture for many different reasons including excessive force to the chest, mammograms and damage during placement or later surgeries or from general wear and tear. A rupture of a silicone implant in pregnancy can be very serious. Ruptures or leaks of silicone implants can cause infection and possibly increase your chances of developing a connective tissue disease, such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. A rupture in a silicone implant during pregnancy can be problematic because ruptured implants need to be removed and replaced if desired. This can require long and extensive surgery which can be harmful during pregnancy. Also, if a replacement implant is put in, the chances of further complications and ruptures in the future is increased. Saline implants impose less harm if a rupture occurs, but the implant must still be removed. The appearance of silicone implants during pregnancy can change, as well. This is because the breast goes through changes during pregnancy and post pregnancy due to milk production. The changes in breast tissue and size of the natural breast may affect the positioning and shape of the silicone implant. The initial placement of the implant can help reduce the chances of serious cosmetic changes occurring, but the placement cannot eliminate the risk completely. Surgical procedures of any kind present more risks during pregnancy. You should talk over the risk and effects of silicone implants, pregnancy and breastfeeding in addition to the other risks that breast implants can impose.
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