Tattoos are now more popular than ever before, and people are scheduling appointments in advance to make sure that they get the tattoo that they want as soon as they can. 

However, you can’t plan everything in life, and sometimes things happen that change our plans. If you have a tattoo appointment scheduled and then find out that you’re pregnant, what should you do?

Do you go to the appointment as planned, or do you wait until after your pregnancy to get the tattoo?

Can Getting a Tattoo While Pregnant Cause a Miscarriage?

There are many things that you’re told not to do, drink, or eat during pregnancy, but there are no firm rules to say that you can’t have a tattoo while you’re pregnant.

It is believed by many that you must refrain from getting a tattoo while pregnant. However, there is a lack of research and studies into this, to make a true case against it. 

Getting a tattoo during pregnancy has been shown to have many risks involved, but getting a tattoo during pregnancy has not been linked to miscarriage. 

However, the tattoo process causes stress and trauma to your body and your unborn baby. Studies are currently unclear whether the stress levels are high enough to cause a miscarriage or premature labor. 

But is this a risk that you’re willing to take?

What Risks Are There To Getting a Tattoo During Pregnancy?

There are several risks involved in getting a tattoo during pregnancy and you can see some of these below:

Infection

Your new tattoo is an open wound and is therefore susceptible to germs and bacteria that may cause an infection. Medication, such as antibiotics may be required to treat this and that can be an issue for your unborn baby. 

An infection can develop into Cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the deeper layers of skin that can be dangerous, especially to pregnant women.

Bloodborne Diseases

Bloodborne diseases such as Hepatitis B and C, Endocarditis, and HIV are viral infections passed along through bodily fluids. These can be caught from a dirty needle and passed to your unborn baby.

Tattoo Inks

Tattoo inks contain many different ingredients and pigments to create vibrant colors. These include high levels of metals that could be dangerous for your unborn baby. 

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn’t regulate tattoo inks currently, so it’s difficult to know which inks are safe to use and which could put your baby’s life at risk.

How Can You Reduce the Risks?

If you decide to take the risk and carry on with your tattoo appointment, there are things that you can do to minimize this risk. 

The first thing you need to do is choose a reputable tattoo artist. They will make sure that all of their equipment is fully sanitized and the environment is healthy. You must always let your tattoo artist know that you’re pregnant before starting the tattoo process.

Speak to your tattoo artist about the inks that they use and find out the ingredients that are contained in them. Do they contain heavy metals, or are they safe to use? 

Pay particular attention to your aftercare routine. This is important for your healing tattoo as well as avoiding any risks to your unborn baby.

The Tattoo Process

You see a beautiful piece of body art and want something similar adorning your body. However, before deciding to get a tattoo you need to understand the process behind the art. 

A tattoo is a permanent design on your body and requires a significant commitment. Choosing the right design and tattoo placement for your tattoo may seem like the most difficult part, but it definitely isn’t. 

The tattoo process hurts. How much it hurts will depend on your pain tolerance and the size and location of your tattoo. The tattoo artist is puncturing your skin with multiple needles and inserting different colors of ink into the dermis layer of your skin.

Your new tattoo is then an open wound that needs to be cared for as such. It will be susceptible to infections and bacteria so needs to be cared for until it’s healed. 

This process could cause trauma for your unborn baby and cause issues with your pregnancy, so you need to think hard before going through the process when pregnant.

Conclusion

Getting a tattoo during pregnancy is a risky process and is not generally worth the risk of harming your baby. While studies looking into risk are limited, we do know that the tattoo process can cause stress and trauma, which are not good for both you and your unborn baby.

While getting a tattoo won’t cause miscarriage, there are too many risks involved, so we would recommend waiting until you give birth before getting that tattoo.