Tattoos During Pregnancy
by Cynthia Flynn, CNM, Ph.D.

Q. Is It Safe to Get a Tattoo During Pregnancy?

A. With a reputable practitioner, it probably is. But I wouldn't recommend it and a reputable practitioner probably wouldn't do it if s/he knew you were pregnant. All causes of infection are to be avoided during pregnancy, as your immune system does not work the way it normally does. Even minor infections should be treated promptly during pregnancy. Anything that could even potentially result in an infection in the blood is particularly to be avoided, so that would include getting a tattoo.

Fortunately, pregnancy does not last very long, and waiting a few weeks or months is a very small price to pay to protect your child's health.