Influence of Time Interval from Bariatric Surgery to Conception on Pregnancy and Perinatal Outcomes

Pregnancy in women submitted to bariatric surgery is increasing. Recommendations for surveillance of these pregnancies have been suggested, but an adequate time interval from surgery to conception, to avoid perinatal negative outcomes, is still controversial.

Medical records of pregnancies in women with previous bariatric surgery were retrieved and outcomes were assessed according to three different time thresholds (12, 18 and 24 months). The association between time from surgery to conception and the presence of adverse outcomes was analysed.

Eighty-six pregnancies were assessed. Weight gain was higher (p = 0.014) and more adequate (p = 0.041) when pregnancy occurred more than 12 months after surgery. Foetal growth percentile was lower when pregnancy was achieved before 24 months following surgery (p = 0.021). No differences among groups were found in other assessed outcomes (BMI, gestational age at delivery, type of delivery, gestational diabetes, pregnancy hypertensive disease, anaemia, preterm delivery, foetal weight, foetal growth restriction, Apgar score, admission to neonatal intensive unit) in all considered thresholds. No association between time from surgery to conception and the presence of adverse outcomes was found.

Despite differences found in maternal weight gain and foetal growth percentile, our study does not support the recommendation to delay pregnancy based on a fixed deadline. Other factors, including a more individualised approach, need to be considered.