It is very meaningful to realize that there is going to be a risk to health associated with getting a tattoo always, whether you are pregnant or not.
Tattoos are done by injecting ink into the body. The ink contains chemicals like arsenic, lead, and mercury which are, to say, harmful to the body obviously.
Particularly getting injected with these chemicals during the first trimester is more concerning as that is when the fetus grows and develops at an extremely rapid pace.
Potential Risks If Done
If you still decide to get a tattoo anyways while pregnant, then the first thing that you need to do is inform and educate yourself about the safety precautions that you can take.
When you are ready to go on with the process of getting a tattoo, you will definitely want to choose an artist that you trust the most.
Here is a list of the few potential risks that you might encounter while getting a tattoo:
1. Infection
Deciding to get a tattoo puts you at risk of getting infected. Always know all tattoo parlors do not have prop[er hygiene protocols. Some tattoo shops don’t meet even the minimum safety standards when it keeps to coming to the needles and other equipments clean.
Unclean pieces of equipment like such can lead to the spread of diseases like hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV. If you come in contact with such diseases during your pregnancy, then it’s likely you may pass that on to your baby as well.
It is also likely that you can get infected and not come to know about it until many years later.
You can also develop an infection during the healing time of the tattoo. Symptoms that indicate you have such an infection are:
- Chills
- Fever
- Discharge coming from the tattooed area that has a bad smell
- Pus on the tattoo
- New dark lines coming out from the tattooed area
- Areas of hard, raised tissue around the area of the tattoo
2. Epidural Effects
If the place where you are planning to get your tattoo is on the lower back, then do keep in mind – that is the exact place where an epidural injection is given during labor. If your birth plan requires an epidural, then you might want to wait till after giving birth before you get a tattoo.
If you already have a tattoo on your lower back already, then that will not pose an issue, as the risk is only involved with new tattoos and them getting infected.
3. Skin Condition
Many women develop skin conditions during pregnancy that might make the process of getting a tattoo a bit too painful. Some examples of such skin conditions are:
- Pruritic Urticarial Papules – These are marked by the development of red bumps or an itchy rash, similarly resembling pimples that appear on the stomach, arms, legs, and torso.
- Prurigo – This is another rash that is itchy, and around 1 in every 300 women experiences it. It can even last for several months after pregnancy.
- Impetigo Herpetiformis – This is an extremely rare dermatosis that usually starts in the second half of pregnancy. It can cause nausea, fever, vomiting, chills, etc.
4. The Appearance Of Your Tattoo May Differ
Bodies of pregnant women change considerably during pregnancy as the skin on the stomach stretches and expands a great deal. The hormones can also make the appearance of the skin different.
For example, the tattoos on the hips and abdomen might be affected by stretch marks.
Also, as a result of changes in hormones, hyperpigmentation can occur, which may again make the tattoo look different. Some areas of the skin darken during pregnancy too – like the arms, nipples, and face.
Although it’s not absolutely against the law to get a tattoo while pregnant, you should exercise caution.
Make sure the tattoo studio you select has a solid reputation, is secure, and follows excellent hygiene procedures. To ensure proper skin healing, be sure to adhere to all at-home skincare recommendations.
To Wrap It Up!
If you ever have any reservations, you can always postpone getting new motherhood tattoos until after giving birth and test it out as a temporary tattoo or henna design instead.
Thank You for reading up till here! I hope you found this information useful.
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