Can You Get a Tattoo While Your Pregnant

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While tattoos were in one case a rarity among women, in contempo years it has become increasingly common—fifty-fifty trendy—for ladies to sport ink. Co-ordinate to a 2022 survey, 33% of women reported having a tattoo. If you're among the one in iii who've gotten a tat, or if yous've always idea of doing so, there'south one condition that may bring your inky dreams to a halt: pregnancy.

Wondering about the rules around getting a tattoo during your ix months of infant-making? Here's what you need to know.

Safe of Getting Inked During Pregnancy

At that place are enough of valid reasons you may want to go a tattoo during pregnancy. Peradventure you'd like to commemorate this special time in your life with a permanent concrete reminder. Or possibly you had planned to go a tat, only to exist surprised by a positive pregnancy exam. But is it safe to go alee with a baby in your belly? Possibly—but doing so comes with significant risks.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, the biggest business concern almost getting a tattoo during pregnancy is the hazard of contracting an infection, like hepatitis B or HIV. Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that tin can not only make yous very sick, merely tin can also be transmitted to your baby at nativity.

90 percent of babies who contract hepatitis B develop lifelong, chronic infection. One in iv children with untreated, chronic hepatitis will eventually die of related wellness problems. Likewise, HIV transmits from female parent to child in about xv to 45% of cases. This virus compromises the allowed organization and can cause failure to thrive in children.

Another potential issue is an adverse reaction to the contents in the tattoo needle.

"We know that some people respond to the dyes and the metals in the tattoo dye and tin accept allergic reactions or infections," said OB/GYN Lauren Demosthenes, Doc, Senior Medical Director at Babyscripts. "Nosotros would hate for you to have to deal with an infection or allergic reaction while pregnant."

Plus, according to the American Pregnancy Association, the risks that chemicals in tattoo dyes pose to your unborn infant are unknown.

Guidelines If Y'all're Getting a Tattoo

If yous've been bitten by the tattoo bug and have decided to continue your appointment at the parlor while pregnant, information technology'south imperative to follow certain condom guidelines.

"We know that a reputable tattoo parlor is essential—although rare, infections like hepatitis, syphilis, and HIV can be transmitted through poor hygiene with anything involving needles," Demosthenes said.

Exist sure to vet your parlor by making certain your tattoo artist is licensed in your state. Do a bit of homework ahead of time to ensure the facility uses disposable, unmarried-use gloves and needles, as well equally sterile dressings. And don't be agape to ask virtually the frequency and thoroughness of sanitation procedures.

Back Tattoos and Epidurals

Since the back is such a broad canvas for tattoo art, it's a common spot to get inked. Only a back tattoo may spell trouble for getting an epidural during delivery.

"Some anesthesiologists will not place an epidural through a tattoo on your dorsum," Demosthenes noted.

Notwithstanding, with a little inquiry, you should exist able to determine ahead of fourth dimension whether your infirmary or birthing heart performs epidurals over dorsum tattoos, and, if not, what other options are available to you lot.

As for the safe of getting an epidural with ink on your back, Demosthenes said it's essentially a non-issue: "Most of the testify is that information technology is safe to have an epidural with a back tattoo, then there's piddling to worry most there."

What If I Already Have Tattoos?

If you've already gotten tattoos prior to pregnancy, you may have concerns about whether your existing ink has any impact on your growing infant.

"For someone who already has a tattoo and is meaning, the good news is, at that place'due south very little to no risk," Demosthenes said.

The principal result you may bargain with is changes to your peel during the nine months, she added. "Your tattoo image may get distorted as your skin stretches during pregnancy, depending on where your tattoo is."

A Word From Verywell

In the end, the determination of whether to tat upwardly during pregnancy is, of grade, up to you. But according to experts, information technology'southward wise to err on the side of caution.

"Although the risks are probable very low, we simply don't have the show to say that at that place is no risk," Demosthenes said. If you choose to breastfeed, "the best thing to do is to plan your tattoo afterwards you have finished breastfeeding."

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Verywell Family unit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our manufactures. Read our editorial procedure to larn more than near how we fact-check and keep our content authentic, reliable, and trustworthy.

• Statista: How Many Tattoos Do You Have? https://www.statista.com/statistics/721567/number-of-tattoos-united-states/ December 12 2019.

  American Pregnancy Association: Tattoos During Pregnancy. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/tattoos-1178 May ane 2012.

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Protect Your Baby for Life. https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hbv/pdfs/hepbperinatal-protectwhenpregnant.pdf Jan 2020.

  Earth Health Organization: Mother-to-Child Manual of HIV. https://www.who.int/hiv/topics/mtct/en/

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Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/can-you-get-a-tattoo-while-pregnant-5083802

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