You may not have been thinking about getting pregnant when you got your navel or genitals pierced. But now that you're expecting, you may be wondering how your choice will affect next nine-plus months. You may be wondering if your piercings will change as your baby develops or if they will cause your little one any harm. You've probably also asked yourself, do you have to take your piercings out during labor?
When it comes to piercings during pregnancy, comfort is an important factor in deciding whether or not to keep them in place. Depending on where your piercing is located, your growing breasts and belly may cause your body jewelry to get caught on your clothing or irritate your skin, according to the American Pregnancy Association (APA). If this is the case, temporarily changing the size of your body jewelry can help relieve some of your discomfort. You may also want to consider replacing your jewelry with clean fishing wire until after your baby is born so that your piercing remains intact.
Additionally, according to the APA, you should remove your piercing immediately if you notice redness, irritation, or inflammation. And if you are planning to breastfeed, you should remove nipple piercings, as they can become infected and be a choking hazard as your baby nurses.
If you have a genital piercing, and are not experiencing any discomfort, you should be able to leave it in place during the beginning of your pregnancy. But as you enter the later stages of pregnancy, you may find that it becomes uncomfortable to leave it in place. According to My Pregnancy Baby, the increased blood flow to your genitals may cause the area to become swollen.
When the time comes for you to go in to the delivery room, it's a good idea to remove your body piercings. As Parents mentioned, having a genital piercing can increase your risk of tearing during childbirth. Nose and tongue rings can also get in the way in the event that you need to receive general anesthesia.
So, as cute as they may be, it's best to play it safe by removing any and all piercings before you go into the delivery room.
