Question:
Pregnancy after surgery without complications

Whats the main consinces on becomming pregnant after surgery. I have 1 child and am no longer married and only 25 the odds are I'll meet someone else and want to have a baby. What are the long term ramifications as to becomming pregnant after surgery?    — Holly B. (posted on June 27, 2001)

June 27, 2001
I have been researching this very thing myself. One of the biggest reasons that I want to lose weight is so I can get pregnant, as I can't right now. I found the links below, and thought I would pass them on to you to look at. http://www.thinnertimes.com/pregnancy.htm http://clos.net/pregnancy/pregnancy_comps.htm http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~olwen/wls/pregnancy.htm http://thinforlife.med.nyu.edu/operations/side_effects.html http://www.asbs.org/html/ration.html#CHILDBEARING http://www.med.upenn.edu/surgery/bariatric/answ_5.html These were Q & A from different web sites: Women of childbearing age should avoid pregnancy until their weight becomes stable because rapid weight loss and nutritional deficiencies can harm a developing fetus. Q. I would like to know if after I have AGB surgery, how long would I have to wait to have children and then how can I increase the intake of my foods to nourish my child? A. There is no problem with pregnancy and birth after obesity surgery. It is good to wait about 6 months so that you get over the first phase of rapid weight loss after surgery. There are no special dietary requirements after surgery. The rule is that the baby always takes what he/she needs. So, you can feel confident that there are no problems with pregnancy should you decide to have surgery If you go to www.google.com, or some other search engine, you can search for info. Start with this and see what comes up (some of it will be what I found above): pregnancy after bariatric surgery weight loss surgery and pregnancy From everything I have read, if you are careful with your nutrition/supplements, a normal pregnancy after WLS is absolutely possible (YEAHHH!!!). As you will see, a 12-18 month waiting period is reccommended so your weight can stabilize. Also, it is recommended that your OB/GYN consult with your surgeon/nutrionist to make sure he understands your unique needs.
   — mregalad

June 27, 2001
One more thing. Go to the library link of this site and do a search. There is a ton of information. Good Luck!!!
   — mregalad

June 27, 2001
I have a friend that got pregnant 6 months after surgery. She didn't think she could even have children, and after she lost her first 100 lbs. BAM, she got pregnant. The pregnancy itself was a very difficult time for her. She had nausea the whole way through, and could barely keep anything down. The doc kept a close eye on her, and she had frequent appointments the last few months. She had a healthy baby girl this past January, and has lost over 200 lbs since surgery. I would avoid getting pregnant at all costs, until at least 1 1/2 to 2 years after surgery. I hope this helps. :-)
   — Kim B.

February 13, 2003
I have been searching for information of this subject and have almost given up trying to find anything. I am now 30 weeks pregnant and will be 2 years postop in May. In other words, I got pregnant about 14 months postop. I have had no problems. I have gained only 6 lbs this entire pregnancy so far. My blood pressure is fine and I passed the diabetic test(with having eaten tootsie rolls) with flying colors! With my first chld, I was 320 when I gave birth, although I gained only the 30 lbs that was recommended. I had a high blood pressure and they had me on strict bed rest, so much that they put me in the hospital a week before they took him. My only problem is fatigue. I feel great and look great. I could tell that I gained the weight in my legs and arms. I hate that because it was the toughest to get off. I am now starting to even look pregnant. People can believe it. My face is not puffy but I do have mild swelling around my ankles. All in all though, I have been blessed! I thank God for this surgery and my new personality and confidence. On another website, one of the very few I found, it said that we would be in harm if we drank the diabetic drink for the test, but me Dr. said to do it, that she felt it was not a problem. And it wasn't! I don't understand it all, but I know it is working and I am sailing through this pregnancy compared to my first. I wish you God's blessings!
   — Stephanie N.

February 13, 2003
Here is the address for the Yahoo group for pregnancy after WLS:<p> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-pregnant/ <p> Lots of women, lots of experience with being pregnant post-op.
   — Ali M