Piercings and pregnancy: a guide for expectant mothers

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Many women care if piercing and carrying a baby is compatible. You will find answers to these and other vital questions in this article.

Can pregnant women get their ears, navel, and other areas of the body piercing? What to do with already healed punctures – should you take out jewelry? How will such an unusual but already quite common type of piercing, like nipple piercing, affect breastfeeding? You will find answers to these and other vital questions in the article.

Is it possible to pierce ears and other places during pregnancy

To this question, both doctors and piercing masters give an unequivocal answer – no. Although pregnancy is not a disease, the health of the expectant mother is subject to significant stress. The hormonal background changes, immunity is deliberately reduced so that it is easier for the body to get along with the growing body inside. In this regard, any effects that violate the integrity of tissues are carried out strictly according to indications. And all invasive cosmetic manipulations, including piercings, should be postponed until the body finally recovers after childbirth.

Possible negative consequences of piercing for pregnant women:

more prolonged healing of the puncture, inflammation, suppuration;
the risk of bringing in an infection that will affect the health of the mother and the unborn child;
an allergic reaction to the anesthetic or the jewelry itself.

Can piercing be worn during pregnancy?

The answer to this question depends on the location of the puncture, the type of jewelry, and the woman’s feelings.

During pregnancy, you can leave your piercing if:

it does not affect the abdomen, mammary glands, and perineum;
the jewelry is made of hypoallergenic and safe material for health;
you do not see or feel anything unusual about the puncture site.

It is worth consulting your doctor if:

you have a pierced navel, nipples, external genitals;
the earring is made of ordinary metal (or you don’t know what it is);
the puncture site began to redden, swell, peel off; there was pain, yellowish or bloody discharge.

Navel piercing during pregnancy

Since the abdominal skin is intensely stretched during pregnancy, navel piercings are at risk. A woman may experience discomfort; the puncture may turn red; in rare cases, tears, migration, and even jewelry loss occur. There are several ways to solve this problem.

Pregnant women with navel piercings are better off replacing their usual jewelry with specialized bioplastic (or PTFE) jewelry designed for such cases. It is softer and adapts to changes in the puncture site. In this case, we recommend installing titanium balls and choosing jewelry without heavy pendants, which increases the risk of injury.

Take out the earring and overgrow the puncture. The fact is that even with a soft decoration, the skin will stretch. Under a microscope, it looks like micro-tears, which are then filled with scar tissue. To prevent this, it is better to say goodbye to the jewelry during pregnancy and after childbirth, if such a desire arises, to make a puncture again.

If you have a fresh piercing and find out that you are pregnant, this is a severe indication of removing the earring.

Nipple piercing and breastfeeding

Contrary to prejudice, you can breastfeed with pierced nipples. The puncture itself does not in any way affect the filling of the breast with milk or the process of its admission to the child. However, several nuances must be taken into account:

if the balloon is not adequately secured, the child may swallow or inhale it;
the same goes for silicone retainers, which are worn instead of jewelry so that the puncture does not overgrow;
large barbells with sharp edges can injure the oral mucosa of the baby;
if you take out the jewelry for the entire breastfeeding period, the puncture will most likely heal.

If you decide to feed your baby and still leave the piercing in the nipples, it is better to switch to softer bioplastic barbells or remove the jewelry before each application. If you prefer the idea of removing the earrings for the entire period of hepatitis B, then after weaning, wait 1-2 months for the nipple to recover and take its final shape. Then you can make a new puncture.

Intimate piercing and pregnancy: nuances

During childbearing, the blood supply to the external genital organs becomes more intense. In this regard, many owners of rings and barbells in the perineal region note discomfort and pain. However, some women do not notice anything like this. In this regard, it is entirely permissible to wear your favorite jewelry in the early stages, and closer to childbirth, replace them with softer ones. Be sure to consult your doctor about this, especially if you have been diagnosed with varicose veins or the labia, or other complications.

Before giving birth, it is recommended to remove jewelry, especially if they are close to the birth canal, as:

you can injure the child;
due to tension, tears may appear, which will become potential sources of infection and will worsen aesthetics;
extra objects can interfere with doctors if it is necessary to suture the perineum;
many doctors, especially the old school, have a negative attitude to such a “decor,” and to maintain calm in the birth ward, it is better to prevent possible conflicts.

So, pregnancy is an occasion to mentally evaluate all your punctures and decide on each of them. Some can be left, from others; it is better to rest for now, and after childbirth and the recovery period, decide whether to do them again.

Note* Always consult your doctor or other qualified health care professional for any questions you may have about your health or condition. Never disregard a health care professional’s advice or delay getting it because of what you read on this website.