Getting pregnant after Hernia Repair?

[lotte26]

Hey guys!
I just wanted to ask if anyone has gotten pregnant after having hernia repair? I just had two large hernias fixed (parastomal and incisional by belly button) with mesh and am curious as to how it would be having a baby and if it would make the hernias re appear. I'm not planning on getting pregnant for a good while yet but it's just nice to know if I can have kids without having to go through hernia repair again!

Anyway thanks and hoping someone knows anything to be honest!

Happy holidays!

 

[Jennifer]

Hi lotte26. Sorry about the late reply. I moved your thread here for now to see if you might get some more replies. The only other member I know personally who has dealt with hernia repair and is female is afidz. Sadly each repair she's had done hasn't kept the hernias from forming again. Her's is rather large so it seems to keep coming back. As far as I'm aware she's said openly that she will likely not be able to have children even once she does have a successful repair (she's still waiting for that). That doesn't mean that you won't be able to though. I'm not sure if this link will help or not though. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3407462/

 

[afidz]

Thanks for the tag Jennifer. Sorry for the late response, my life keeps getting turned upside down.
The research I've done digests that a pregnancy worth the mesh can be painful. It's not designed to stretch, and is probably attached with tiny little metal springs (one of my earlier ones was) so it would feel like metal being ripped out.
I would talk to your doctor about it, it's not impossible, there is just a much higher chance of complications

 

[LeahRaye]

I had hiatal hernia repair in 2003. From my rib cage to the top of my belly button, the muscles separated during my pregnancy with my only daughter in 2001.

I had another full term pregnancy in 2008. It was extremely painful the larger he got. He was born 3.5 weeks early for other reasons, he weighed 6.10 and was 19". At the time, I was pretty sure if he got much bigger the staples were just going to rip out of the muscles and mesh and leave a mess.

In 2013 I had a full term 40 week boy, 6.10 and 21 inches. I had the ripping burning slow tugging sensation for the entire last 6 weeks of that pregnancy. Enough that when I hit 40 weeks my OB allowed me to schedule induction without waiting the extra 2 weeks to see if he would come on his own.

It was not excruciating. It was constant. Like heartburn, but right under the skin.

Mine was up high though, so it wasn't until close to the end of the pregnancy that the pain was more noticeable. I did not have to have another repair. They held.