Health risks: New tattoos and pregnancy

Because of the manner in which tattooists are now regulated, many will not give the tattoo procedure to a pregnant woman. Their reasons may range from risks of the pregnant woman fainting, added stress inducing labour, effects of ink or pigment mixes on the unborn baby, possibility of infection, to a woman’s changing body image and how she makes decisions during pregnancy. Even in non-pregnancy cases, there are general risks to tattooing. The probability attached to these risks increase during pregnancy. The following information addresses:

• Tattoos and general health risks
• Tattoos and risks during pregnancy

Tattoos and general health risks

• When the skin in broken to introduce foreign substances, such as the tattoo inks and/or pigments, the risks of infection are heightened because of:
• Allergic reactions from contaminated ink and/or pigment
• Sterilisation (such as unsterlised equipment and studio surfaces)
• Skills, training, and knowledge of tattooists about blood borne diseases
• Injuries during needle puncturing (such as to blood vessels causing bruising)

Tattoos and risks during pregnancy

Due to the rapidly changing physical conditions of a pregnant woman pertaining to her skin, blood circulation and pressure, weight gain, and so on, her immune defences are lowered and healing in the body takes longer. In essence, a tattoo is a form of harm to the skin that expects the body to respond for healing.

Having an allergic reaction or infection, such as bacterial, during this period is quite likely or common, and tattoos raise the chances of this occurring with possible complications due to the materials used and sterilisation. In addition, stress levels can raise blood pressure that can also have harmful implications to the pregnant mother and unborn baby, such as pre-eclampsia or pregnancy-related hypertension that can cause loss of life.

Pregnant woman sometimes get gestational diabetes that also impedes healing of wounds in the body. A woman with gestational diabetes should not have tattoos during pregnancy because of the likelihood of infection and complications to the unborn child.

Tattoos and Pregnancy:

• Tattoos and Pregnancy
• Pregnancy and maintaining existing tattoos
• Pregnancy and re-inking existing tattoos
• Deciding on a new tattoo after conception
• Tattoo Ink: Temporary or Henna

• Health risks: New tattoos and pregnancy
• Breast tattoos and breast feeding
• Navel or back tattoos when pregnant
• Pregnancy, tattoos, and stress
• Tattoos and Regulation