Is gastric bypass for you?

Many obese women will consider the option of gastric bypass surgery in order to lose weight and get pregnant faster. Those who are morbidly obese will find that because of their obesity their chances of getting pregnant is decreased and that there are increased complications during pregnancy. In addition, they have a significantly decreased sex drive.

Having gastric bypass surgery and losing weight will allow a woman to become healthier, be more interested more in sex, and decrease the complications that obese women have in pregnancy.

How long should I wait?

Gastric bypass surgery and pregnancy should not happen at the same time. After gastric bypass surgery, you start to lose weight very quickly. In order to give your body time to heal after the gastric bypass surgery, many doctors recommend to wait until you have reached a stable level of weight, that's usually 12-18 months after surgery. This will let your body have time to adjust to the rapid weight loss and mal-absorption of nutrients that happens during the first few months after the surgery. After about eighteen months, there is no really risk to the pregnancy or the baby. On average the babies born to those who have had gastric bypass surgery will weigh somewhat less than their peers and have a higher incidence of small for gestational age (SGA).

What changes do I need to make?

Once you have decided to get pregnant or have found out that you are already pregnant, the biggest concern to the woman as well as the fetus is the vitamins and nutrients that need to be part of a healthy pregnancy. This can be tackled by not stopping any multivitamins that are being taken after surgery. This will allow the fetus to grow normally with the proper nutrients that many women after gastric bypass surgery cannot get from food alone. Supplemental folic acid, B12, and vitamin A are highly recommended for those who are pregnant post-surgery.

Weight gain must also occur to have a normal pregnancy. While many women after surgery will fear this, it is the only way that a baby can grow healthy inside the mother. About 25 pounds is the recommended weight gain. A major weight loss diet should never be considered during pregnancy because of the lack of certain nutrients that will undoubtedly happen when a woman diets.

Those who do not gain weight or little weight during pregnancy will be putting their fetus at risk for fetal abnormalities, small for date neonate status, and intrauterine growth retardation. This is why a woman’s obstetrician must be familiar with their gastric bypass surgery and understand the special circumstances that will be required for this type of pregnancy.

Will my pregnancy be normal?

Even though you are on a different type of diet from most pregnant women, your pregnancy should turn out normal, as long at it is carefully monitored by a doctor and given the special attention needed for those who are post-surgery. All the mother will have to do is east right, follow the multivitamin regimen that should already be in place, and not be concerned with gaining some weight during the pregnancy. If the mother will pay attention to these considerations, you will end up with a normal, healthy baby and a pregnancy that went as planned. 

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