A Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) is a cosmetic surgery that enhances the size and shape of the buttocks by removing fat from one area of the body, such as the abdomen or flanks, through liposuction and transferring it to the gluteal region. This procedure is an elective, non-medically necessary surgery that requires general anesthesia and involves significant recovery time. Due to the extreme risks posed to both the mother and the developing fetus, medical professionals uniformly advise against undergoing a BBL, or any similar cosmetic procedure, at any point during pregnancy.
The Medical Consensus on Elective Surgery During Pregnancy
The standard medical recommendation is to postpone all non-medically necessary, elective surgeries until after childbirth. Any surgery introduces potential hazards to the pregnancy that outweigh the benefit of a cosmetic procedure. The primary concern for the fetus centers on the use of general anesthesia and sedation, which can lead to systemic changes in the mother’s body.
Anesthesia and surgery risk maternal complications such as low blood pressure (hypotension) or reduced blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia). These conditions can critically impair blood flow and oxygen supply to the fetus via the placenta. Surgery during the first trimester, when organ development occurs, is associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes like miscarriage. The third trimester is also high risk, as the fetus’s increased perfusion needs make it more susceptible to a lack of oxygen.
Physiological Changes That Contraindicate Major Surgery
Pregnancy triggers systemic physiological changes that significantly increase the mother’s surgical risk. The body increases its circulating blood volume by up to 50% by the third trimester, preparing for blood loss during delivery. This expanded volume means that any blood loss during surgery is magnified, increasing the risk of severe hemorrhage and shock.
Pregnancy is also a hypercoagulable state, meaning the blood is more prone to clotting due to elevated clotting factors. This elevates the mother’s baseline risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. Surgery further compounds this risk.
The growing uterus places pressure on major abdominal vessels, such as the inferior vena cava, especially when the patient lies on her back. This can dangerously reduce blood return to the heart and compromise fetal circulation. Furthermore, the mother’s respiratory function is altered, with a reduced functional residual capacity, making her more susceptible to rapid desaturation and hypoxia under anesthesia.
A specific incompatibility arises from the BBL’s requirement for the patient to be placed in the prone position (face down) for fat injection. This positioning is medically dangerous for a pregnant patient. The weight of the uterus would severely compress major blood vessels, drastically reducing blood flow to the placenta.
Specific Procedural Risks of Brazilian Butt Lift
Beyond the general risks of surgery during pregnancy, the BBL carries unique, high-level risks compounded by the pregnant state. The most severe complication is fat embolism, a potentially fatal event where injected fat enters the bloodstream and travels to the lungs or brain. This risk is a direct result of the fat injection technique.
The extensive liposuction required for fat harvesting is a highly invasive process that causes significant tissue trauma and blood loss. This invasiveness, combined with the pregnant body’s altered vascular state and elevated risk of blood clots, exponentially increases the chance of severe complications. Accidental injection of fat into the muscle is a known cause of fat embolism.
Timing and Planning When to Schedule a BBL
The procedure must be delayed until well after the pregnancy and postpartum period have concluded to ensure the safest outcome. Medical professionals recommend waiting a minimum of six months after childbirth before considering the surgery. This period allows the body to recover from the physical stress of pregnancy and delivery, including the uterus returning to its pre-pregnancy size.
A sustained period of weight stability is necessary before surgery, as hormonal levels need time to normalize postpartum. Postponing the procedure ensures the surgeon is working with a body that has settled, allowing for a more accurate assessment of permanent changes and better surgical planning.
If the mother is breastfeeding, she must cease lactation for at least two weeks before surgery. This prevents exposing the infant to anesthesia and pain medications that could pass through breast milk.