Tattoos whilst pregnant

[SharpGreyMoose]

Can you get tattoos while pregnant, I've seen so many mixed views on it... has anyone got any while pregnant?

It’s not really something urgent/important - surely it can wait until after? I wouldn’t risk an infection.

I can't see a reputable artist doing this, I doubt they're insured to either.
Surely it can wait?

You can't be serious?!

Everything you put into your body passes into the placenta.

It's not something I'm considering... I was having a disagreement with someone who did this whilst pregnant so was proving they were wrong and shouldn't be encouraging people to.

@SharpGreyMoose fair enough, the context might have been helpful in the original post mind.

I apologise, I didn't want to sway people's opinions my way, wanted to keep it fair without giving people ideas.

I had a tattoo appointment scheduled then found out I was pregnant. They told me they wouldn't do it which I was absolutely fine with so I wouldn't think much of a tattoo artist who would tattoo a pregnant woman.

A decent artist would refuse to tattoo a pregnant woman and a responsible woman wouldn't try to get a tattoo whilst pregnant

Definitely shouldn't, and a decent artist would refuse it. It's not just about about the risk of infection. It's the ink itself, that will go into the placenta to the baby. And breastfeeding mothers should also skip tattoos. Time for everything in life.

I am an experienced tattooist, and can say absolutely not advisable to get tattoos, OP. Like other people have mentioned, this is due to the infection risk. Tattoo infections are not uncommon, and can often require antibiotics. Also your immune system is potentially vulnerable. There is no risk to the baby from tattoo inks themselves, but from the infection risk.

The tattoo ink will not go into the placenta, unless you are drinking it! Any infections however and antibiotic treatments are a risk to the baby.

It's the ink itself, that will go into the placenta to the baby. And breastfeeding mothers should also skip tattoos

There’s a potential it may cross the placenta, but as to whether that would cause harm, doubtful. As for breastfeeding, it’s not likely any could enter into breastmilk. However, in both scenario’s, it’s the infection risk that’s of real importance. You don’t want an infection while pregnant if you can help it, so why take the risk? Same as for breastfeeding, why risk an infection that may require medicine that may pose a risk to a breast-fed infant (some do, some don’t).

A tattoo is not a necessary medical procedure, where benefit to mother outweighs risk to fetus/breast-fed infant, so it seems really odd that someone would do this.

I get tattoos while breastfeeding but not while pregnant just in case of infection risk.

I have known people who have done it. I've never known someone to get thier tattoo infected so it's probably a low risk. If it's a good clean shop the risk is minimal but personally I wouldn't take the chance.