Background: Pregnancy is usually contraindicated in the first 18 months after anti-obesity operations because of nutritional risk, but childbearing happens nonetheless, both before and after this period.
Objective: Aiming to document clinical outcome for mother and child, a retrospective study was undertaken.
Methods: Women submitted to gastroplasty who conceived after 0-5 years (n=14) were investigated. Calorie intake, maternal and neonatal weight profile, peripartum complications, and clinical course were documented.
Results: Age was 31.8+/-6.5 years, and conception occurred within 24.2+/-21.6 months. BMI before operation, in the first trimester of pregnancy, and about 42 months after operation was respectively 49.9+/-7.9, 35.8+/-5.5 and 34.7+/-11.0 kg/m(2). Energy but not protein ingestion during pregnancy was appropriate, and pregnancy weight gain was scattered along a wide range. Infants (n=16) were born with adequate gestational age (35.6+/-3.3 weeks), weight (3.2+/-0.5 kg) and Apgar score (8.1+/-0.8), and subsequent clinical course was favorable. However cesarean section was required by 64%, and unexpected maternal complications were registered.
Conclusions: 1) Dietary compliance during pregnancy was not optimal, mean weight gain was high, and patients displayed various comorbidities, but infants were born in good conditions; 2) follow-up during 1-3 years pointed out that neonates grew normally, despite continuing maternal high-risk status; and 3) nutritional monitoring should be a priority and dietary guidelines are in clear demand, as current recommendations are sketchy or insufficiently tested within this context.