Is it safe to get or have a tattoo during pregnancy?

There are several concerns about tattoos, so it's probably best to wait until after delivery to get one. Here are some things to consider:

• Hepatitis B, a dangerous liver infection, and HIV/AIDS are two of many diseases that can be passed along through bodily fluids. This means you can catch these diseases if you get a tattoo from someone who uses a dirty needle. And it's possible for you to pass these diseases along to your baby while you're pregnant.
  
  
• We don't know how tattoo dyes and inks affect a developing baby. Small amounts of chemicals that might be harmless to an adult can have a much bigger impact on a tiny fetus.
  
  
• Most healthcare providers will give an epidural – an injection of anesthetic into the space around the spinal cord – to a woman with a tattoo on her lower back, but they may decide not to if the tattoo is recent and still fresh. There's no clear evidence for or against giving epidurals near tattoos. If you do have a tattoo on your back and are considering receiving an epidural for pain relief during childbirth, find out what the hospital's policy is before you're admitted.