Bariatric Surgery and Pregnancy
Your questions answered by your weight loss surgeon from 360 SURGERY, Melbourne
When can I get pregnant after weight loss surgery?
Most groups advise waiting 12-18 months after surgery before getting pregnant.
Most women are much more fertile after surgery, even with moderate weight loss.
Birth control pills do NOT work as well in patients who are overweight. Birth control pills are not very reliable during the time your weight is changing. For this reason, it’s important to speak to your GP or gynaecologist about contraception. Menstrual periods can be very irregular, and you can get pregnant when you least expect it. Before surgery and for the month after surgery, you’ll need to use contraception that does not contain oestrogens because of the risk of blood clots.
Will the baby be healthy?
Yes.
After surgery, there is much less risk of experiencing problems during pregnancy and during childbirth. There are also fewer miscarriages and stillbirths than in women with obesity who have not had surgery and weight loss.
Babies born after weight loss surgery are LESS at risk of being affected by obesity later due to activation of certain genes during foetal growth. There is also less risk of needing a C-section and less risk of birth trauma.
