Tattoos and pregnancy?

Question

I've been wanting a tattoo on my lower back but I heard that when I get pregnant the epidural won't work if I've gotten a tattoo there. Did anyone experience this or know of any information they can give me about it. Thanks!

Answer 1

First things first: SAFETY
Make sure that your tattoo artist follows or was following these guidelines:

They are a registered practitioner (if your state registers tattoo artists)
They always wear gloves during the procedure
They have an autoclave (sterilizing unit to sterilize equipment)
The floors and surfaces are all clean
All the needles used are new, disposable and made for single use only
The dressings are sterile packed and unopened
The dyes or ink used for the tattoo are also sterile packed and unopened
The artist is available the first 24 hours if you have any problems
Find out the availability of the artist if you have any problems in the days and months ahead
If you have a tattoo and question the practices of the facility where you had it done, make sure you are tested for Hepatitis, HIV, and Syphilis.

Think it through
The main concern with getting a tattoo during pregnancy is the risk of contracting an infection, such as Hepatitis B and HIV. Although the risk is small, it is recommended that you wait to get a tattoo after your baby is born.

You will be very interested to know that little information is available about the safety of skin dyes used for tattooing during pregnancy. It is possible that the chemicals in the dye may affect the development of the baby during the first 12 weeks, but the risks are unknown, as are any effects on the baby during the remainder of the pregnancy.

Some women may have also heard that if they have a tattoo on their back, then they will be unable to get an epidural. Very few studies have been done on the risks that could exist for women who have back tattoos and receive an epidural. So far none of these studies have conclusively found any data that shows that there are risks, so most anesthesiologists have no problem giving an epidural to a woman with a back tattoo. If you want an epidural and have a tattoo on your back, it still would be best to contact the hospital and find out the policy in regard to tattoos and epidurals.

The risk of contracting an infection is small, but you could pass the infection to your baby if you are breastfeeding. Ultimately it's your decision, but you may want to wait until you are not breastfeeding to get a new tattoo.

OH yeah.... PICK ME PICK ME LOL... I'm the only one with the correct answer:)>

Answer 2

My husband did a tattoo on my lower back when i was hmm maybe 4wwks pregnant, not that we knew it at the time but in any case at the time of getting the epidural the doctor had no problem with my tattoo! That was Nov/05, now i am pregnant (7months) again and he is finishing the tattoo! So as long as you trust your ink artist to do everything he is suppossed to as far as safety, your doc shouldn't have a problem with some skin art when the epidural goes in!!

*pst; to whoever said that if you could handle a tattoo not to worry about an epidural; contractions are a whole lot worse than a needle gun on your skin!!

Answer 3

tattoos have absolutely nothing to do with the workings of the spinal column, and the effects of anesthesia on the human body. i see the pp's point about possibly injecting ink into the spinal cavity, but most epidurals are inserted higher than the lower part of the back. if the tatt is on the middle of the back, that may present a problem. talk to your doc about REAL info pertaining to tattoo safety (um, how to be sure you won't get an infection, possible positioning problems for the future... not to scare you off getting one. i LOVE my ink!!)

most reputable tattoo parlors in the states do not use metallic inks and therefore do not pose problems for mri's. i have had many mri's since getting my ink done, and there was never any problem (other than a few raised eyebrows!)

i know that in certain cultures they are taboo, and are seen as drains upon the energy of the body, but that still has zippo to do with a needle being inserted between vertebrae to inject medication to numb the lower half of your body!!! just make sure you have all the facts before you make your final decision!

good luck!

Answer 4

She is 100% correct.
Many hospitals will not give an epidural with a lower back tattoo.
There's too much risk of an infection or complication caused by the tattoo ink.

Answer 5

It's not that the epidural won't work; it's that they won't DO it. I heard that if the tatt is in the exact place where the epidural goes, then they won't do it b/c they don't want to take the chance of ink going into the blood stream or any part of the body when the puncture the skin to insert the needle. The ink is toxic. This is just what I've heard. I wouldn't chance it though.

Answer 6

That was before the tattoo ink was changed, now it is just fine to have an epidural with a tattoo on your back

Answer 7

I have a tattoo on my lower back and i also had an epidural for a c-section and it worked well good luck! And it was higher than the tattoo where they inserted the medication

Answer 8

Well I don't know about the epidural but I know you won't be able to have an MRI if you need to latter in life. Why are you worried about an epidural, if you will enjoy getting the tattoo on your lower back, childbirth should be a breeze.

Answer 9

I have a tattoo on my lower back, and they did my epidural right through it. It worked like a charm. The only reason the dr was concerned was because he was afraid of "marking" my tattoo with the hole (I still have never found the mark).

Answer 10

I agree your epidural goes in higher then your lower back, you can have MRI's with tattoo's, and any good anesthesiologist knows where to poke yah with or with out a tattoo in the way.