Morbidly Obese and Suffering Pregnancy Complications? Consider Gastric Bypass

Obese and morbidly obese women are more likely to have pregnancy complications and caesarean sections than women of average weight, according to a study published in the April 2004 American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The controlled study is one of the largest ever to look at obesity in pregnancy, following more than 16,000 pregnant women at 14 medical centers across the country.

Compared with women of normal weight, obese and morbidly obese pregnant women were at greater risk for gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, fetal birth weight greater than 4,000 grams, and fetal birth weight greater than 4,500 grams, the study finds.

Morbidly obese women who undergo gastric bypass weight loss surgery and lose weight report a higher rate of normal births and healthy deliveries if they lose weight prior to becoming pregnant.

In a study by Dr. Alan C. Wittgrove, past president of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery and pioneer of the laparoscopic technique, post-gastric bypass pregnancy indicates fewer risks than commonly reported by women who are obese during pregnancy. His study was conducted with nurse-practitioner Leslie Jester who had a low-risk pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby after gastric bypass surgery.

The Wittgrove Center has an active patient list of over 2000 people. The patients are informed to contact the Center when they become pregnant. In the study 41 women in the patient population became pregnant. Using personal interview, questionnaire, and review of perinatal records, pregnancy-related risks and complications were studied.

The study found less risk of gestational diabetes, macrosomia, and cesarean section than associated with obesity. There were no patients with clinically significant anemia.

Kaye Bailey © 2005 - All Rights Reserved

An award winning journalist and former newspaper editor Kaye Bailey brings expertise in writing and personal experience with gastric bypass surgery to EzineArticles.com. Having spent most of her life overweight Ms. Bailey is strongly empathetic toward the obese, particularly overweight children. This compassion compelled her to found the website http://www.livingafterwls.com, a fast-growing resource of information, understanding and support for the weight loss surgery community.

The LivingAfterWLS.com site is complimented with daily blog. The blog, http://livingafterwls.blogspot.com offers readers the chance to comment or leave feedback about fresh content added daily. This site contains success stories and recipes, general information and WLS inspired topics. Complementing the site is a monthly newsletter titled "You Have Arrived" available exclusively to people who subscribe through the website or the blog.

---

Problems Associated With Teen Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the pivotal moments of a woman's... Read More

Baby Essentials - A Guide For First Time Mums

Are you a first time expectant mum wandering around the... Read More

Just How Soon After Having A Baby Is It Realistic To Try And Fit Into Those Pre-Pregnancy Jeans?

That depends, say the experts, on a number of things... Read More

Very Early Signs of Pregnancy - Do You Know the 10 Pregnancy Signs?

Very early signs of pregnancy - are there 10 pregnancy... Read More

Life After Birth

LIFE AFTER BIRTH: THE FIRST 6 WEEKSLife after birth can... Read More

Are Epidurals Bad?

EPIDURALS CAN SAVE YOU FROM THE "HORRORS" OF CHILDBIRTHIt is... Read More

Why Shouldnt I Smoke During Pregnancy?

There are a lot of good reasons to quit smoking,... Read More

Homebirth Midwifery

What is Homebirth Midwifery? Homebirth Midwifery is prenatal care that... Read More

Pregnancy and Exercise, How to Stay Fit While Being Pregnant

EXERCISE SAFELYThe first thing to understand when you exercise during... Read More

What is an Ectopic Pregnancy?

Ectopic is another way of saying "out of place". An... Read More

Pregnancy Week By Week

There are three stages of pregnancy. These are the first,... Read More

Your Role as an Expectant Father

Quite often expectant fathers get bent out of shape over... Read More

The Truth About Labor and Childbirth

Labor and childbirth was an amazing, positive experience for me,... Read More

How To Avoid Swelling When Pregnant

Edema, otherwise known as swelling, will affect almost all women... Read More

Abortions After Fetal Viability

Abortion is without a doubt one of the hottest and... Read More

Train While You Gain - Why a Personal Trainer Can Make a Difference During Your Pregnancy

The average woman will gain between 25 and 30 pounds... Read More

Is a Healthy Pregnancy Possible After Gastric Bypass Surgery?

When a woman in the child bearing years undergoes gastric... Read More

Stress And Pregnancy

Stress Relief During Pregnancy If you truly want to ensure... Read More

Hyperpigmentation - Skin Discoloration - Pregnancy Mask

First and foremost I want to start by emphasizing that... Read More

The Sleepless Challenge

For me, it was "welcome to motherhood". Ready or not,... Read More

Benefits of Exercise When Pregnant

Exercising during pregnancy is always a very good idea, and... Read More

Maintaining Balance During Your Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a beautiful time. And it is also a... Read More

Dietary Precautions During Pregnancy

When you are pregnant, you should be sure to wash... Read More

Successful Weight Loss After Pregnancy

How fast you lose weight will depend on a number... Read More

Pregnancy And Celiac Disease

If you have celiac disease and are well controlled because... Read More

The Dos and Donts of Pregnancy

With so many people giving their opinion on what to... Read More

Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Choosing The Right Foods

So you need to gain weight but don't want to... Read More

Planning a Healthy Pregnancy

Looking for healthy lifestyle pregnancy information? Here are some steps... Read More

Very Early Symptoms of Pregnancy - Do You Know These Very Early Pregnancy Signs?

Very early symptoms of pregnancy -- what are they? If... Read More

What You Need To Know About Pregnancy And Tanning Booths

If you are pregnant, there are things you should know... Read More

Exercising After Pregnancy

Generally most women can begin a formal exercise program within... Read More

Sex & Pregnancy...Do They Mix?

As a pregnant woman, you may experience sex drives much... Read More

Pregnancy, Diabetes, and Your Feet

There are so many changes the body undergoes during pregnancy... Read More