Gastric Bypass surgeries to reduce severe obesity are becoming increasingly common, and are being considered even by relatively younger women and those still in their child bearing years. Women contemplating pregnancy after gastric bypass would likely have the cancers and apprehensions about this sequence of events.
Is it possible to become pregnant after undergoing gastric bypass?
Yes it is possible; in fact pregnancy after the gastric bypass may actually be easier since weight loss can boost fertility and women may actually find it easier to get pregnant after the surgery.
Is it safe to have babies after undergoing gastric bypass?
According to the Mayo Clinic’s write up about pregnancy after gastric bypass, it is possible to have a healthy and safe pregnancy eve after undergoing the weight reduction surgery.
It is in fact suggested that it may be safer to have a baby after the surgery and after losing the weight rather than take the risk of undergoing a pregnancy while severely overweight, since obesity could result in serious pregnancy complications.
Women are however cautioned that if they do want to become pregnant after weight loss surgery, they have to wait at least one year or until such time as their weight loss stabilizes and only then try to get pregnant.
The fact about weight loss surgery is that it has not been around long enough to tell the very long term effects of the surgery on a person and future pregnancies.
Are there any benefits to having gastric bypass before pregnancy rather than after it?
According to the March of Dimes there have been studies to suggest that undergoing gastric bypass may actually have a beneficial effect on a future pregnancy. The risk of pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure (preeclampsia) gestational diabetes, very large babies or chances of a C section go down in a pregnancy after a gastric bypass surgery.
What complications could arise from pregnancy after weight loss surgery?
Possible complications in a pregnancy after gastric bypass could be the possibility of bleeding in the intestines or the stomach of the pregnant woman. There could be anemia or some nutritional deficiencies that could cause limited growth of the baby in the uterus.
This could happen as a result of the reduced amount of calories that can be eaten and absorbed by the body after weight loss surgery. Also a woman’s chances of having a C section delivery are high if she gets pregnant after surgery.
What precautions should be taken if a woman wants to get pregnant after gastric bypass surgery?
The woman has to inform her obstetrician or gynecologist about her surgery and medical history before getting pregnant, so that adequate precautions and/or nutritional supplements may be advised. It may be a good idea to also consult with a dietician or a nutritionist for advice on proper nutrition and weight gain during pregnancy.
Another thing for women contemplating pregnancy after gastric bypass to keep in mind is that they may face body image issues. The weight gain and change of body shape that pregnancy will inevitably bring can be difficult for women to accept. Also a pregnancy could derail the process of weight loss, which a woman has to keep in mind as well.
