Ask Dr. Man - Pregnancy after a Tummy Tuck

Dear Dr. Man, I live in Parkland- I’m 31 years old and I have 4 children. As a result of my pregnancies, I have a horrible stomach pooch problem. I have flabby hanging skin. I’m embarrassed to wear a bikini. No amount of exercise helps. I desperately want a tummy tuck. But here’s the thing- I think I may want to have another child in a few years. Can I still get a tummy tuck if I plan to get pregnant again? I’m hearing conflicting reports.

Tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, is a procedure in which excess fatty tissue and skin are removed from the abdomen and the abdominal muscles are tightened. This procedure is usually needed for women whose skin and muscles have stretched after pregnancy or for people who have lost a significant amount of weight and have loose hanging skin as a result. In my office, I perform what is called a lipoabdominoplasty, which is a technique that fuses together two common plastic surgery procedures into one: liposuction and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).

Most often, women get this procedure after they are done having babies. In an ideal world, women who want to have children in the future should wait to get this procedure until after all pregnancies. In the real world, women often change their mind or decide to plan another pregnancy. Many women do become pregnant after this procedure; however, patients should keep in mind that flattening work and work on the muscle from the tummy tuck might be undone as a result of pregnancy.

During pregnancy, the skin and muscles of the abdominal area stretches out. Fat pockets that are resistant to diet and exercise build up on the abdomen and abdominal skin becomes loose. These all outcomes of pregnancy can be eliminated by lipoadbominoplasty. However, when a woman becomes pregnant after tummy tuck, the abdominal area treated by this procedure becomes affected and stretches out again in order to fit for the growing fetus. Abdominal wall muscles that had been restored by abdominoplasty can separate again. Re-stretched and loose skin may not look normal again.

Although, former abdominoplasty or lipoabdominoplasty is not a risk for an unborn fetus, it can change a women’s appearance. If the skin becomes loose again and muscles stretch out during pregnancy after tummy tuck, additional procedures may be performed in order to improve the appearance of the abdomen.


Dr. Daniel Man is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has dedicated his life’s work to helping people look younger and improve their appearance through cosmetic surgery. He is a noted author, artist, inventor and educator. Dr. Man has been featured on major television networks, as well as national and local magazines and newspapers for his work as both a plastic surgeon and an artist. Dr. Man has a private practice in Boca Raton, FL.