Fertility rises as weight drops
By Graciela Gutierrez
Many formerly obese women may find that after shedding their weight, their chances of getting pregnant increase.
Vadim Sherman, M.D., assistant professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, said obese women who thought they could not have children regained their fertility during the months following gastric bypass or lap-band procedures.
Extra body fat leads to hormonal imbalances
"Weight affects how hormones act in the body," Sherman said. "Body fat helps to convert certain hormones such as estrogen into other hormones. If there is extra body fat, healthy hormonal changes are thrown off."
Hormonal imbalances can lead to irregular menstrual cycles and other reproductive problems. As women begin to lose weight, their fertility returns to normal. For bariatric patients, the weight comes off rapidly, and some are surprised by how quickly pregnancy can occur. In some cases women become pregnant within six months of surgery.
Wait before getting pregnant
"We recommend waiting a year, when weight stabilizes, before having a child," Sherman said. "But women who become pregnant sooner can still have healthy children."
On average, more than half of excess body weight is lost during the year following surgery. One fear is that the dramatic change in weight will affect the fetus's health.
"Some worry the weight will continue to come off and be harmful to the pregnancy," Sherman said. "Weight loss usually stops and some women even gain up to 20 pounds."
Sherman said if nutritional needs are met, including all the usual vitamin guidelines for bariatric surgeries, a woman can expect a healthy pregnancy.
