Pregnant after TRAM flap surgery

crlacey · February 2012

I am 31 and had a double mastectomy and TRAM flap reconstruction on Oct 4, 2011. A few weeks later, I found out we were expecting surprise baby #3. After doing the math, I was 3 weeks pregnant at the time of surgery. (So implantion was occuring while I was in the hospital.) I am now 21 weeks pregnant and 18 weeks post surgery. Our recent ultrasound showed that baby seemed to be healthy even though I was on medication until a pregnancy was confirmed at 9 weeks along. After trying to do some research on this, I'm having a hard time finding any information about pregnancy after a TRAM flap surgery. I'm just looking to find out what I might experience over the next few months.

NannaBaby · March 2012

bump

crlacey · May 2012

Since this seems to be rare, I'll post my progress for others.

I have been followed by Maternal Fetal Medicine for a few months now. They told me there were less than 25 reported cases that they could find to study.

I am now 37 weeks along and have had very little problems. I am now having a hard time breathing at times because I am measuring 2 weeks behind but baby is measuring on schedule. There are times when the scar tissue rips apart and that hurts but it usually resolves itself after a day or two of stretching. They expect that I should be able to deliver vaginally. Overall, I would not recommend getting pregnant within a few weeks of surgery, since it made my recovery terrible and long. But if you wait until after you've healed, it is certainly possible to have a normal pregnancy.

crlacey · August 2012

Just a final note in case others search for this later.

I was induced at 39 weeks so that I could get some releif early. My blood pressure started to go crazy and my heart rate was elevated enough that they sent me to the hospital for tests to be sure I was ok. So the doctors induced me so that baby and I could stay healthy. I had a normal delivery and we are both doing great.