Surgery helps would-be mums shed pounds
Wednesday April 14th, 2010
Weight loss surgery may help obese women avoid serious pregnancy complications, researchers report today.
Writing on the website of the British Medical Journal, Dr Wendy Bennett of Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, USA, and colleagues say that a third of women of reproductive age in the US are obese, risking gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, premature birth, and birth defects.
They add that high blood pressure in pregnancy affects about seven per cent of US pregnancies, and is a common cause of maternal disease and death.
The team looked at figures on 585 women aged 16 to 45 years who underwent gastric banding or gastric bypass surgery, and delivered at least one baby either before or after surgery.
Compared with women who delivered before surgery, women who delivered after surgery had 75 per cent lower risk of pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, and other problems caused by high blood pressure during pregnancy.
The authors report: "In this retrospective analysis of US women, bariatric [weight loss] surgery was associated with lower rates of hypertensive disorders in subsequent pregnancy. Our findings support the use of bariatric surgery in women of childbearing age who meet eligibility criteria."
They add: "Our results have important clinical, public health, and policy implications. Obesity, especially extreme obesity, is associated with increased use of healthcare resources during pregnancy.
"Bariatric surgery could be considered in the preconception management of women of childbearing age who have a BMI of 40 and above, or 35 and above with comorbidities."
Dr Bennett believes insurance companies "should be covering gastric bypass surgery in women of childbearing age".
Tags: Childbirth and Pregnancy | Diet & Food | Fitness | North America | Women’s Health & Gynaecology
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