If you are considering breast augmentation and planning on having children, you may be concerned if breast implants will interfere with lactation.
In fact, it’s not uncommon for patients to ask: “Should you breast feed after an augmentation?”
The good news is that evidence from a recent study suggests that most women shouldn’t have any problems with lactation after undergoing breast implant surgery.
Continue reading to learn more about the study and its findings.

Does Breast Augmentation Increase Your Risk of Lactation Complications?

In order to evaluate the effects of breast augmentation on lactation, a study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal evaluated 9,148 women who underwent breast augmentation with silicone implants and 13,725 women who had saline implants placed.
Of these patients, 79.4 percent who had a baby within five years of augmentation reported successfully breast-feeding during the study.
Based on these findings, the majority of women who have breast augmentation should be able to breastfeed without issue.

Should You Breast Feed After an Augmentation?

Patients considering breast implants often wonder, “Should you breast feed after an augmentation?”
This is a reasonable question considering that any surgery on the breast has the potential to cause trauma to or stretch breast tissue and milk ducts.
While these complications are quite rare, they are believed to be more likely with areolar incisions. Nipple projection and ability to latch may also be affected in women with small or short nipples who get larger implants.
With that being said, the study demonstrated that the incidence of lactation complications for women with implants was comparable to complications reported by women who breast-feed with or without implants.

Does Implant Type Affect Ability to Breast Feed?

Based on the study findings, there was not a difference in breast feeding complications between women with saline or silicone implants.
This was true regardless of incision type, implant placement, implant size, or age

Learn More About Breast Augmentation and Breast Feeding

If you are considering breast augmentation, please call our office today to schedule a comprehensive consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Navin Singh.