inguinal hernia and pregnancy

There is not a lot of data about pregnancy and hernia repair, but what I gather from the research (I’ve given many talks about this) and my own experience (I see a lot of women), below are the recommendations:

1. Hernia repair can be safely performed prior to pregnancy, without affecting future pregnancy.
2. Prefer 6 months between date of surgery and next pregnancy
3. As a 92-lb female, in my practice, I would err on performing a tissue (non-mesh) repair, to reduce mesh-related chronic pain.
4. Hernia pain is rarely a problem during pregnancy, but if you already have pain, best to just get it repaired..

Good luck!