During pregnancy, it’s common knowledge that there are a lot of things you need to avoid for the health of both yourself and your baby. There are restrictions on consuming and participating in a lot of activities—no alcohol, hair dye, or even raw fish—which may lead you to wonder what else may be advised against during the course of these nine months.

Of course, during a pregnancy, it’s always important to be cautious even about things that you may never have considered dangerous otherwise. This might make you ask: can you get a tattoo while pregnant? Getting tattoos is not, in and of itself, a risky process, but foreign substances can have negative effects on your baby (especially during early development). It’s only natural that tattoos may bring up concerns.

Unfortunately, there isn’t really a clear-cut answer that doctors have settled on. Many OB-GYNs have been asked this question, and although it’s not entirely clear, experts advise against getting tattoos during pregnancy and especially during the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy. In this respect, the answer to the question is no.

Risks of Getting a Tattoo While Pregnant

Just because the research is inconclusive doesn’t mean that getting a tattoo during pregnancy holds absolutely zero risks, and you never know when something could happen that could harm your pregnancy. Pregnancy is inherently risky because of the toll it takes on the body, and this toll could lead to a lowered immune response that can cause a fresh tattoo to be more susceptible to infection. This infection could impact your baby.

The risk associated with getting a tattoo during pregnancy is small, but still present, and no risk is too small when it comes to preserving health. Getting a tattoo during pregnancy is not known to cause miscarriages, but it is always a possibility in the case of serious infection.

If you decide to get a tattoo during your pregnancy, tattoo aftercare should be of the highest importance possible to you. Clean your tattoo twice a day, gently, and be sure to not pick at any scabbing in order to avoid the serious risks of infection that healing tattoos can bring. Any signs of infection, such as warmth or swelling, should be treated seriously and immediately by a doctor.

Conclusion

While there is no exact answer to the question of whether getting a tattoo during pregnancy is harmful, experts in the medical field do not recommend it. So, you should wait until after your pregnancy to get that tattoo. And when you do, City on the Hill will be there to offer you the highest quality art with the most talented artists around.