Bariatric Surgery and Pregnancy

who have bariatric surgery are adults, teenagers can also be candidates for weight-loss surgery if they have been evaluated by a multidisciplinary team and meet the criteria. In the United States, the 3 most commonly performed weight-loss surgeries are a sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Rouxen-Y gastric bypass (GB), and an adjustable gastric band (AGB). Other less common weight-loss surgeries include the biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS), which is no longer commonly performed, and a single anastomosis duodenoileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S), which is a relatively newer procedure. An SG is a restrictive type of weight-loss surgery where approximately 80% of the stomach is removed. This aids weight loss through a restrictive process, by altering the size of the stomach and thereby reducing the quantity of food the patient can eat, while also removing the portion of the stomach that produces important metabolic hormones including leptin and ghrelin. This surgery is relatively quick, simple, and highly effective, making it the gold standard for weight-loss surgery. A benefit of this surgery is that it can be performed on certain patients who may be considered “high risk” with medical comorbidities. It can also act as a Overview of Bariatric Surgery Bariatric surgery is a class of weight-loss surgery that works by altering the anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract. According to the National Institutes of Health, candidates for bariatric surgery are: (1) patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or (2) a BMI of 35 or more with a serious health condition linked to obesity including type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, or heart disease, or (3) a BMI of 30 or more with type 2 diabetes that is difficult to control with medication and lifestyle changes.1 Different institutions may have different criteria or protocols for which patients are candidates for bariatric surgery. Although most patients Bariatric Surgery and Pregnancy