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Bariatric Surgery: Impact on Pregnancy Outcomes

  • Diabetes and Pregnancy (CJ Homko, Section Editor)
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Abstract

The dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age has resulted in approximately 1 in 5 women being obese when they conceive. Bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective long-term weight loss strategy in obese women in this age group. Clinicians should be aware of the effects of bariatric surgery on fertility and future pregnancies. Regarding certain complications, pregnancy after bariatric surgery appears to be safer than pregnancy in the obese. In patients where nutrition is properly maintained and monitored, the risks for obesity-related obstetric complications, such as gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertension, are significantly reduced, but possibly at the expense of an increase in neonates born small-for-gestational-age. At the present, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn concerning the risk for Caesarian delivery, differences in type of bariatric procedure, or the optimal surgery-to-conception interval.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 151, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Eyal Sheiner

  2. The Medical School for International Health in Collaboration with Columbia University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Kent Willis

  3. Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Yariv Yogev

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  1. Eyal Sheiner
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  2. Kent Willis
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  3. Yariv Yogev
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Correspondence to Yariv Yogev.

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Sheiner, E., Willis, K. & Yogev, Y. Bariatric Surgery: Impact on Pregnancy Outcomes. Curr Diab Rep 13, 19–26 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-012-0329-9

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