Pregnancy and piercing - What applies and what should I consider?

No, it is not safe to pierce yourself when you are pregnant. We do not pierce pregnant women because even if we perform the piercing safely, there is always the risk of the piercing becoming infected as a piercing is a puncture wound and the infection that occurs can spread to your bloodstream, posing a risk to your baby as the baby's immune system is too weak to fight an infection. Our recommendation and advice is: Do not expose yourself to additional risks during pregnancy.

Can I pierce myself if I am pregnant? Pregnancy and piercing

We recommend that you wait to pierce yourself when you are pregnant. Your weakened immune system during pregnancy leads to an increased risk of infection for you and your baby. However, you do not need to remove fully healed piercings you already have, including a belly button piercing, but it is best to take out your nipple piercing(s) and intimate piercing(s) during the third trimester, as complications can arise during breastfeeding and childbirth. Always make sure to clean your piercings with a piercing aftercare product daily during pregnancy to reduce the risk of any new infections appearing.

Risks that a piercing during pregnancy can bring

• Infection, which can spread to the whole bloodstream and then to the baby
• A severe allergic reaction to the piercing jewelry if it is not titanium
• Itching or irritation in the piercing area
• In extreme cases, the risk of contracting hepatitis or HIV from the piercing needle

A professional piercing studio will not pierce you if they know you are pregnant, as it is not worth the risk. Plan your piercing for after pregnancy.

Should I take my piercings out during pregnancy?

There is generally no medical reason why you should take out your piercings when you are pregnant. Your doctor will likely approve you to keep your fully healed piercings throughout your pregnancy. However, if you choose to keep your piercing jewelry, it is extremely important that you clean them thoroughly on a daily basis. You want to keep bacteria as far away from your piercings as possible. If any of your piercings start to itch, poke or otherwise irritate your skin, or if you notice that your piercing is sticking to your clothes, consider taking them out. Depending on which piercing or body piercing you have, it takes different amounts of time for them to heal completely. So keep a close eye on any piercings you got just before you found out you were pregnant. Keep an eye out for potential infections and contact your doctor or midwife if you experience any of these symptoms: Intense pain or burning at the piercing area Redness or swelling at the piercing Liquefaction or pus coming from the piercing A swollen bump near the piercing Fever

Belly button piercing and pregnancy

It is okay to have a belly button piercing if the piercing is completely healed. This means that you pierced your navel at least three months before you found out you are pregnant. However, there is the risk of your piercing stretching or the bar feeling short as your belly gets bigger and bigger. Remove the jewelry if you feel discomfort or if you get stuck with the jewelry more often than before. Wash your navel piercing daily with our colloidal silver spray or any other piercing aftercare product that does not contain alcohol or alternatively saline to reduce the risk of infection. The navel can easily collect lint and bacteria, so good hygiene is important.

Can I pierce my nose if I am pregnant?

Short and sweet, NO! It is recommended to avoid nose piercings when you are pregnant. The risks of getting a body piercing also apply to facial piercings. Nose piercing may seem like a safe option, but you can still get an infection or scarring from this piercing due to your weakened immune system during pregnancy. In addition, in the rare likelihood that you have to undergo general anesthesia during a complicated delivery, a nose ring may get in the way and have to be removed. There are some common pregnancy symptoms that affect the nose such as nosebleeds or nasal congestion. As the body has many other things to deal with, getting a nose piercing will not help the body.

Can I pierce my earlobe when I am pregnant?

The answer is unfortunately NO. It is best not to pierce your ears when you are pregnant. It may seem to be the safest option of them all, but piercing your ears during pregnancy carries the same risks of infection as other piercings nose piercing, belly button piercing etc. That risk is even greater if your piercer pierces with a gun instead of a needle (which is what is usually used in the places you see in shopping malls and jewelry stores), as it is not possible to sterilize the gun. All professional piercers recommend that you wait to pierce yourself during pregnancy. You can always re-pierce or get new ear piercings, including earlobe, cartilage or helix piercings.

Nipple piercing and pregnancy - Nipple Piercing

All piercings come with risks, but there are additional risks associated with getting a nipple piercing during pregnancy, for example: An increased risk of infection, as the tissue around the nipple is sensitive An increased risk of abscess or varicella, a pus-like pimple that can form around the nipple An increased risk of mastitis, which is colloquially known as milk thrush An infection that can go to the milk ducts The risk of piercing jewelry getting caught in clothing If your nipple piercings are completely healed, then there is no problem with wearing jewelry during pregnancy. However, as you will experience changes in your breasts during pregnancy, you may find that your nipple piercings get caught in clothing or otherwise bother you. In that case, it may be helpful to take out the jewelry. However, having a nipple piercing while breastfeeding can pose a threat to both you and your baby. Nipple jewelry is a choking hazard for your baby, and can cause nerve damage that can affect your milk flow and milk production. If you plan to breastfeed, then you should remove your nipple shield. You can remove the jewelry every time you breastfeed, but this is not recommended! Doing this a number of times a day will only increase the risk of infection. If you decide to do it after all, make sure you disinfect your hands and the jewelry thoroughly always.

Piercing and breastfeeding

If you decide to get a nipple piercing while breastfeeding, we recommend that you wait until you've been breastfeeding for at least 3 months. If you choose not to breastfeed, the time after childbirth does not matter.