The Mommy Makeover Death Rate Isn't What You'd Expect

Motherhood has countless challenges, including the physical aftermath that comes after carrying a child and giving birth. And although some celebrity moms seem to be able to effortlessly reclaim their pre-baby bodies, many women struggle to manage (and love) their postpartum figures. Diet and exercise can help, of course. However, even women who conscientiously eat healthy foods and make time for regular exercise may feel unhappy about the way their breasts, bellies, or bottoms look and feel.

A mommy makeover is a customized treatment plan featuring at least one elective cosmetic surgery procedure aimed at contouring a woman's body (via the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery). Common bundled surgeries include breast augmentation, butt lifts, and tummy tucks. (Just know the considerations before cosmetic surgery bundling.) Basically, it's designed to solve whatever issues a woman needs to replicate her pre-mommy silhouette.

Of course, undergoing any surgery has risks, including some that are life-threatening. Nonetheless, the mommy makeover death rate might not be what you'd expect, namely because of the variation in surgical procedures.

If you've considered a mommy makeover, you may want to look at the individual death rates associated with each surgery you plan to undergo. For example, a 2022 review in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery noted that the mortality rate for more than 9,000 women who underwent breast implant surgery was zero. Therefore, if you were limiting your mommy makeover to this one procedure, your chance of dying would be statistically very low.

What if you added a tummy tuck to your mommy makeover checklist? According to a 2020 article in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery — Global Open, you would be faced with a 1 in 13,000 chance of death. And if you wanted to augment your derriere, you would be looking at a 1 in 20,000 mortality rate. Moreover, even if you survive the procedure, you might still struggle with postoperative concerns.

As noted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, women who undergo mommy makeovers may face malfunctioning breast implants (read about breast implant illness), infections, heart problems, blood clots, and the death of healthy tissues. Since each of these issues could lead to more surgery and medical interventions, they could lead to a cascading series of treatments, each with its own death rate risks.

This doesn't mean that a mommy makeover needs to be off the table. You just may want to take some steps to reduce your chances of suffering from problems, starting with planning for your recovery period. When interviewed by WDSU News, physician Dr. Courtney Washington explained that a key way for mommy makeover patients to protect their health is by being realistic about recovery. Dr. Washington gave an approximate recovery timeframe of eight weeks for a mommy makeover that included a butt lift and tummy tuck. She noted that arranging for help can prevent complications.

Another tip to keep from having a mommy makeover emergency is to make sure you're at a healthy weight first (and a healthy weight is different from BMI), said plastic surgeon Dr. J. Vincente Poblete (via Cleveland Clinic). "Studies have shown that the higher the BMI [of the patient], the higher the incidence of local and systemic complications," Poblete explained.

A final word of advice on protecting yourself when considering elective cosmetic surgery comes from a 2024 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report looked at death rates of United States citizens who went to the Dominican Republic for plastic surgeries such as tummy tucks and breast lifts. Between 2009 and 2022, 29 individuals died an average of 2.8 days after their surgeries.

In an effort to reduce such deaths, the CDC recommends that anyone considering going abroad for plastic surgery "consult with their primary health professionals about their inherent risk for adverse events after surgery and preventive measures they can take." Consequently, you may want to speak with your general practice provider initially as a way to lower your mommy makeover death rate risk further.