Pregnancy following breast augmentation is common and poses no threats, though women may want to learn more about what they should expect from their bodies.

Everyone knows that a woman’s body changes significantly during pregnancy. The extent of the changes varies greatly, depending on her health, hereditary factors, and a number of other components. Fortunately, a woman who becomes pregnant after having gone through breast augmentation will have an experience that is comparable to a woman who has not gone through the procedure. There is no additional risk for complications.

Over the course of a woman’s pregnancy, her breasts will enlarge. This is a universal rule that nearly every woman should expect. Following the birth of the child, the breasts will lose volume and skin will likely become looser. Some women’s tissue repairs itself, while others may find themselves with a permanent change to their body. Having breast implants can actually help combat this common issue because they won’t change significantly in size over the course of a year or two like natural breast tissue often does.

Stretch marks are another area of concern for any pregnant woman. The odds of stretch marks appearing on a woman who has breast implants are comparable to those of a woman who does not have implants. No research suggests that the likelihood of stretch marks increases because of augmentation.

One common result of pregnancy is that implants may seem to sit lower and be less perky than beforehand. It’s not uncommon for patients to come back for a follow-up procedure after giving birth and healing from delivery. During this follow-up procedure the patient may choose to have another augmentation or a breast lift to get back her pre-baby bosom.

Whether they have implants or not, women can avoid issues like sagging and stretch marks by carefully monitoring their weight throughout pregnancy. By keeping their weight gain to a recommended amount, they’ll be minimizing the long-term effects to their bodies.