Pregnancy Information

Is a Healthy Pregnancy Possible After Gastric Bypass Surgery?


When a woman in the child bearing years undergoes gastric bypass surgery to lose weight one of the first things she will hear from the nay-sayers is that after surgery she cannot have a healthy pregnancy because of presumed nutritional deficiencies. The contrary is true. Morbid obesity results in a high rate of complicated pregnancies and a high rate of miscarriage. Women who become pregnant after achieving weight loss with gastric bypass generally have lower risk pregnancies than morbidly obese women.

The United States Surgeon General lists several reproductive complications associated with pregnancy in women who are obese. Complications include an increased risk of death in both the baby and the mother and increases the risk of maternal high blood pressure by 10 times. In addition to many other complications, women who are obese during pregnancy are more likely to have gestational diabetes and problems with labor and delivery.

The Surgeon General concludes that Infants born to women who are obese during pregnancy are more likely to be high birth weight and, therefore, may face a higher rate of Cesarean section delivery and low blood sugar (which can be associated with brain damage and seizures). Obesity during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of birth defects, particularly neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.

In a study by Dr. Alan C. Wittgrove, past president of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery and pioneer of the laparoscopic technique, post-gastric bypass pregnancy indicates fewer risks than commonly reported by women who are obese during pregnancy. His study was conducted with nurse-practitioner Leslie Jester who had a low-risk pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby after gastric bypass surgery.

The Wittgrove Center has an active patient list of over 2000 people. The patients are informed to contact the Center when they become pregnant. In the study 41 women in the patient population became pregnant. Using personal interview, questionnaire, and review of perinatal records, pregnancy-related risks and complications were studied.

The study found less risk of gestational diabetes, macrosomia, and cesarean section than associated with obesity. There were no patients with clinically significant anemia.

Dr. Wittgrove concluded, "Since the patients had an operation that restricts their food intake, some basic precautions should be taken when they become pregnant. With this in mind, our patients have done well with their pregnancies. The post-surgical group had fewer pregnancy-related complications than did an internally controlled group that were morbidly obese during their previous pregnancies."

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com. Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

Copyright © 2005 Kaye Bailey - All Rights Reserved.


MORE RESOURCES:

ABC News

Elizabeth Davies: Pregnancy not to be taken lightly
Norwich Bulletin, CT - 14 hours ago
By Elizabeth Davies I could hardly believe it when that plus sign began to form on the pregnancy test. A baby, I thought. Cribs and bottles, onesies and ...
Mass. pregnancy pact stirs debate over child care The Associated Press
Mayor: Pregnancy numbers may violate privacy Gloucester Daily Times
Column: Mayor Kirk talks about teen pregnancy issue Wicked Local Manchester
Uptown - Gloucester Daily Times
all 708 news articles


ChattahBox

Predicting pregnancy odds
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - Jul 2, 2008
By Vianna Davila Stanford University researchers said they are one step closer to accurately predicting if in vitro fertilization will result in pregnancy, ...
Predicting In Vitro Success TIME
Four Combined Factors Predict Success of In Vitro Fertilization Medscape (subscription)
New Method Better Predictor of In Vitro Fertilization Success U.S. News & World Report
eFluxMedia - TheMedGuru
all 66 news articles


New York Times

ABC Family Launches 'Cautionary' Television Series That Addresses ...
Medical News Today (press release), UK - 21 hours ago
ABC Family on Tuesday premiered a "cautionary" television series that plans to address issues including teenage pregnancy, and abstinence, ...
Karen Heller: Teen pregnancy as a TV series? Philadelphia Inquirer
Television Review A Teenage Pregnancy, Packaged as a Prime-Time ... New York Times
Art imitates life in teen pregnancy drama Boston Herald
Washington Post - TheCelebrityCafe.com
all 118 news articles


Gloucester plans teen pregnancy forums
Boston Globe, United States - 5 hours ago
Two weeks removed from the eye of a media firestorm over the spike in teen pregnancy at Gloucester High School, city officials plan to address the situation ...


US teenage pregnancy cult to feature in BBC3 documentary
guardian.co.uk, UK - 4 hours ago
The 60-minute special, which has the working title American Pregnancy Cult, will investigate whether the 16-year-old Massachusetts schoolgirls made a pact ...


China Daily

Angelina's pregnancy notes
Galatta.com, India - 8 hours ago
Pregnancy is quite an emotional roller-coaster for the moms-to-be, and Angelina Jolie does not want to forget the ride; hence she keeps a diary! ...
Angelina Jolie 'has secret pregnancy diary' NEWS.com.au
Doc: 'Everything is normal' with Angelina Jolie's pregnancy New York Daily News
Angelina Jolie Pregnancy Update The Gossip Girls
The Associated Press - AFP
all 2,127 news articles


Concern at Maori women smoking during pregnancy
New Zealand Herald, New Zealand - 12 hours ago
Te Hotu Manawa Maori manager Irene Walker said the rate of Maori smoking during pregnancy must reduce. "Even when pregnant Maori women quit smoking while ...


Oneindia

Yoga For Pregnancy
Oneindia, India - 5 hours ago
By :Health & Yoga A lady about 25 years old came to the maternity Hospital severely dejected and feeling hopeless. She had a very bad obstetrical history ...


Asthma In Pregnancy: How Does It Affect Mother And Child?
Bernama, Malaysia - 2 hours ago
During pregnancy, a woman is likely to show signs of having a short fuse like feeling irritable, petulant and ill tempered. But on other occasions, ...


BBC News

Junk food during pregnancy can harm unborn baby
Times of India, India - Jul 1, 2008
Smoking and drinking in pregnancy are known to harm the baby, but new research indicates that junk food may also sow the seeds of heart disease and diabetes ...
Poor diet during pregnancy does 'irreversible damage' Telegraph.co.uk
Diet & health: Women warned over junk food in pregnancy guardian.co.uk
Moms Eat Junk Food, Kids Get Fat CBS News
MedHeadlines - Mirror.co.uk
all 80 news articles

Pregnancy - Google News

home | Index | site map
© 2006