Breast Augmentation and Breastfeeding
Denver, Aurora, Lone Tree and Boulder, Colorado
Most women who undergo breast augmentation and later become pregnant are able to breastfeed following childbirth without complication.
That said, research indicates there may be a slight risk that a breast augmentation procedure can impact your ability to breastfeed effectively. If you’re considering both breast augmentation and pregnancy, board-certified Denver plastic surgeon Dr. David Broadway can discuss any concerns you may have and advise you regarding choices that may affect your capacity to breastfeed.
Breast Implant Incisions and Breastfeeding
Many women—regardless of whether they have breast implants—are naturally unable to breastfeed. Much of the anxiety over the potential for breast augmentation to interfere with breastfeeding relates to the possibility for surgical incisions to damage the milk ducts and related nerves.
While some research has concluded that this risk may be greater when periareolar incisions—incisions made around the nipple—are used, other studies indicate the risk is approximately the same for all incision options. Women who have breast implants and later become pregnant may wish to work with a lactation consultant for support and tips on successful nursing techniques.
Silicone Breast Implants and Breastfeeding
In the 1980s and 1990s, there were unfounded reports that silicone breast implants posed potential health risks to nursing infants due to silicon—a component in the silicone gel used in these implants—seeping into breast milk.
Numerous clinical studies and research conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found no evidence linking silicone breast implants to health problems in children who breastfed. The FDA further concluded that silicon levels in women with silicone breast implants is not elevated compared to women without breast implants and is actually less than the amount of silicon found in dairy milk and commercial infant formulas.
If you live in the Denver, Aurora, Lone Tree or Boulder, Colorado, areas and would like to learn more about your breast augmentation options, please contact the Broadway Center for Plastic Surgery to schedule your consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Broadway.
Lone Tree 9777 S. Yosemite Street, Suite 200, Lone Tree, CO 80124
Cherry Creek North 255 S. Detroit Street, Suite 200 Denver 80206