While some women luxuriate in their growing belly during pregnancy, others find that the extra weight wreaks havoc on their self-esteem and body image. For many women, a navel ring serves as a connection to their pre-pregnancy body. Although pregnancy does change your abdomen—and your belly button—you do not necessarily need to remove your navel ring. In most cases, women can safely keep the ring as long as it remains comfortable for them.
Significance
The March of Dimes website recommends against piercing your navel during pregnancy because the constantly changing size of your abdomen may make it difficult for a hole to heal and close properly. While you might want to wait until after you deliver to get a new navel piercing, the March of Dimes suggests that existing piercings usually do not pose a risk to the fetus or the expecting mother.
Time Frame
Your regular metal navel ring will probably continue to be comfortable until you reach your third or fourth month, when your pregnancy often begins to change the shape of your abdomen. As your stomach begins to curve outward, your belly button may flatten out or may start to protrude. At this point, Dr. Marjorie Greenfield of the Dr. Spock website suggests you may want to remove the piercing or switch to more flexible plastic jewelry for the duration of your pregnancy.
Considerations
The weight of metal jewelry can pull at the skin around your belly button, which can be uncomfortable due to your stretched skin. Heavy metal jewelry may also migrate to your skin’s surface and cause permanent scars, according to Dr. Donna I. Meltzer, State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Medicine. Meltzer suggests replacing your metal pregnancy ring with a curved barbell to prevent irritation and reduce the chances of scarring.
Warning
If you opt to get a new navel piercing during pregnancy, it is important to protect yourself and your baby against the risk of infection. Before obtaining the piercing, the March of Dimes urges you to check to make sure the piercing studio uses a sterilizing machine to sterilize their instruments. Your piercer should wear gloves to perform the procedure, and all of the supplies, including bandages and jewelry, should be new and unopened. After you undergo the piercing procedure, report any signs of infection--such as redness, pus, swelling or pain--promptly to your health care provider.
Warning
While most women can safely leave their piercings intact during pregnancy and labor, Greenfield advises you to talk to your primary care provider to obtain information on your practice’s policy regarding navel rings--some practices may require you to remove the ring during labor and delivery.
