Facial piercings + labor

[Nicoletta89]

So i've just been watching the US version of One born every minute, and this one lady had a lip piercing which they made her take out before she started pushing. Is this normal procedure? Do they make you take out all piercings, even facial ones?

I have a small nose stud and really don't wanna have to take it out, it closes up really fast (like within a couple hrs). I can understand that if you need an emergency C-section you'd need all your jewellery off, but it literally takes like 2 seconds to pop my stud out if I need to...

 

[pixeldust]

It's standard procedure here. I had to take out 10 pieces of jewellery when I had my son, good thing I did as it took about a half hour to get them all out and I did need an EMCS.

 

[MommaAlexis]

Yeah, my best friend had to take out her ear spacers, so her hole shrunk back to normal. I'm preparing to lose a size or two in my ears when I go in.

 

[staralfur]

That sucks. I've had my tongue pierced for four years but it still starts to close up if I leave it out for a couple of hours. I can't see why a facial piercing would be a huge problem, though?

 

[Mrs.Ping]

I was told only piercings I had to take out were belly button and tongue ring I could keep my nose and eyebrow on!

 

[MommaAlexis]

I'll give you all a tip. Clear fishing line makes a nice invisible piercing replacement.. Just sayin'.

 

[CanadaMom]

That sucks. I've had my tongue pierced for four years but it still starts to close up if I leave it out for a couple of hours. I can't see why a facial piercing would be a huge problem, though?

the reason a facial piercing (or any other piercing or jewellery) would be a problem is that in the event of having to have a c-section, cautery is used as part of the procedure (basically using electrical currents to cut through body tissue) and the electrical currents can try to exit through metal on the body and therefor burn the area where the piercing is.

 

[staralfur]

That sucks. I've had my tongue pierced for four years but it still starts to close up if I leave it out for a couple of hours. I can't see why a facial piercing would be a huge problem, though?

the reason a facial piercing (or any other piercing or jewellery) would be a problem is that in the event of having to have a c-section, cautery is used as part of the procedure (basically using electrical currents to cut through body tissue) and the electrical currents can try to exit through metal on the body and therefor burn the area where the piercing is.

Interesting. I wonder then if you were to put a plastic one in if they'd still make you remove it.

 

[_Lexi_]

I don't want to have to take my belly bar out but I'm pretty sure I'll have to for my c section!! One of my friends got to keep her earrings in, they just taped over them? x

 

[ellemonkey]

Only tongue, naval and genital piercings need to be taken out at my hospital. All the rest can be taped over if needs be.

 

[MaybBaby]

ive always been told titanium is a non conductive/magnetic material therefore it shouldn't matter? (maybe i was told wrong ) i understand say a tongue piercing because well...if you swallow your tongue? but i hope not,my medusa piercing is so awkward to take out and not only that im like wolverine,i heal really quick i don't wanna lose me piercings! maybe its a different rule again,ive never heard of it here if so i hope they give me warning so i know to take the ball off ready at least! lol

 

[xcharx]

I left my tongue piercing in during labour :s x

 

[Mrs.Ping]

they tell you to take out your tongue piercing in case you need an emergency c-section and need to have a breathing tub so you don't choke on it if it comes loose!

 

[Bumbled Bee]

I had to take out my nose ring, take off my wedding rings and take out my "downtown" piercing, which took like three midwives many attempts, how embarrassing, and they tried to take off my toe rings, but they wouldn't come off, so they were taped to my toes. But this only happened just before they took me to the operating theatre for a forceps delivery. I'm pretty sure it's just because it's a surgical environment and piercings and rings harbour lots of bacteria.

 

[xcharx]

they tell you to take out your tongue piercing in case you need an emergency c-section and need to have a breathing tub so you don't choke on it if it comes loose!

It's my own fault because i never told them I had a tongue piercing!! I didn't even think x

 

[CanadaMom]

I had to take out my nose ring, take off my wedding rings and take out my "downtown" piercing, which took like three midwives many attempts, how embarrassing, and they tried to take off my toe rings, but they wouldn't come off, so they were taped to my toes. But this only happened just before they took me to the operating theatre for a forceps delivery. I'm pretty sure it's just because it's a surgical environment and piercings and rings harbour lots of bacteria.

i work in an operating room and i remember one time, a patient didn't inform anyone that she had a "downtown" piercing - she had taken all her other ones off, but not that one. it was discovered once she was asleep. the surgeon refused to operate on her unless someone took it off, so one of the other nurses had to remove it lol

 

[LunaBean]

Ah jeez..Ive loads to take out then!

 

[miss_divine]

I have a permanent piercing (microdermal) in my chest and 36 other assorted piercings (face, ears, boobs, belly) and I have put in my birth plan that I refuse to remove any of them for any reason. My midwife hasn't raised any issue with this. The microdermal would have to be removed via surgery, so as I can't physically take that out, I don't see why I should have to remove any others, plus I'd need pliers to get some out!
As for tongue bar being removed for intubation - my DF is regularly intubated with a large tongue bar in due to his severe epilepsy, they have never once tried to remove it, and that's in Intensive Care.
As for cautery, with a permanent piercing I couldn't undergo that anyway.
If you're concerned about it, just refuse. They can't make you take anything out, and you really don't need to anyway.
xx

 

[JessPape]

Luckily the only one i got to fight with to take out is my VCH so i dont mind, I rather take it out than have it cause issues. I can re-pierce a piercing, my babies far more important.

 

[JadeEmChar]

I labored with a genital piercing Might have to take it out with c sec thou