From what i've read, women who don't have it operated on before can have painful pregnancies. Some also require surgery during pregnancy. Better safe than sorry.

I'm also required to have the surgery, I have visited the surgeon and was advised that I should have the surgury once I've finished having babies (which I have) as there's a good chance the hernia will reoccur with the pregnancy.

For what it's worth, I got the hernia with my first bub and had 2 more babies and it was fine. Yes in the early months of the pregnancies it was uncomfortable but once bub is bigger and covers the herniated area it actually improves (while pregnant)