Navel Piercings and Belly Rings During Pregnancy

Filed in archive Is it Safe...? , Maternity Fashion , Medical Issues on August 27, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Katherine Gallia

A lot of women who have navel piercings opt to remove their belly button rings for the duration of their pregnancy. But does one really have to? It all depends on the wearer.

As long as the piercings have completely healed and you don't feel uncomfortable, then by all means, continue to wear your belly jewelry. You probably just need to take extra care that it doesn't get caught on garments and such as your belly expands. Or you might want to consider switching to other belly rings that are more appropriate for your pregnant belly:

Long barbell. When regular belly jewelry first becomes uncomfortable, often around the third or fourth month of pregnancy, a woman can switch her regular jewelry for a long, curved barbell. The extra length allows the stretching skin around the piercing more room to spread out as the belly protrudes.

Acrylic retainer. If metallic jewelry becomes uncomfortable due to its weight, a lightweight acrylic barbell or retainer may provide relief. Acrylic retainers may come with threadable balls or rubber o-rings to secure the ends. Small rubber o-rings may allow extra room along the shaft of the jewelry, however, they slide off more easily than threadable balls.

Two-Inch Flexible Bar. Extra long barbells, or belly bars, made especially for use during pregnancy or for use after surgical procedures allow all the length and flexibility a pregnant woman will likely need. Belly bars are typically made of a threadable, cut-to-size, plastic such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), which is hypoallergenic and is used to make surgical implants.

If you decide to do away with the belly ring altogether, you might want to replace it simply with a fishing line to keep the holes from closing.

Getting a navel or nipple piercing during pregnancy, however, is a different story. Since the skin expands during pregnancy, it will be more difficult for the holes to heal, thereby increasing the risk of infections.