Women Undergoing Weight Loss Surgery Should Wait a Year Before Getting Pregnant
Losing weight before getting pregnant can help the baby grow in a healthy environment. However, according to a new study review, women who've undergone a weight loss surgery should wait for at least a year before getting pregnant.
Obesity rate in women of reproductive age is expected to rise from rise from 24.2% in 2005 to 28.3% in 2015. With the rise in obesity, women are more likely to use bariatric surgery to help them lose weight. The surgery is safe for women who wish to get pregnant and previous studies have shown that more than 70 percent of women who had undergone bariatric surgery didn't report any pregnancy-related complications, according to the study.
"An increasing number of women of child-bearing age are undergoing bariatric surgery procedures and need information and guidance regarding reproductive issues. In light of current evidence available, pregnancy after bariatric surgery is safer, with fewer complications, than pregnancy in morbidly obese women. Multidisciplinary input care is the key to a healthy pregnancy for women who have undergone bariatric surgery. However, this group of women should still be considered high risk by both obstetricians and surgeon," said Rahat Khan, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Harlow and co- author of the review.
During pregnancy after a bariatric surgery, a woman might experience a band slippage that can lead to severe vomiting or a band leakage.
Thus, experts advise women to not get pregnant within 12 months of the surgery. Another study has shown that woman may experience a spontaneous miscarriage even after 18 months of the surgery.
"Optimal education should be encouraged in these individuals so that they can make well informed decisions about planning pregnancy after their surgery," said Jason Waugh, Editor-in-Chief of the journal The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist where the study is published.