Outcome of pregnancies after biliopancreatic diversion.
BACKGROUND
Severe obesity has deleterious effects on fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Although surgery is the best long-term treatment for severe obesity, there is a risk of gestational undernutrition in operated mothers because bariatric surgery reduces nutrient availability. This is a follow-up report of our initial findings regarding pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) patients, with addition of a new cohort of children born to mothers after BPD.


METHODS
All women (n = 916) who had successfully undergone BPD in our hospital were mailed a questionnaire containing multiple-choice and essay questions concerning gynecologic and obstetric history, and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in both preoperative and postoperative pregnancies. Patients operated between 1984 and 1995 (n = 568) were mailed an additional questionnaire regarding children's weight and height progress, and school performance. Perinatal records from our patients' obstetric clinics were also reviewed.


RESULTS
The questionnaire was completed by 783 women (85.5%). 251 postoperative pregnancies in 132 women resulted in 166 infants by 109 mothers. 47.0% of patients who were unable to become pregnant preoperatively were successful postoperatively. 90 out of 109 women (82.6%) reported an appropriate weight gain (9.1 +/- 5.9 kg) during postoperative pregnancies. The incidence of fetal macrosomia decreased from 34.8 to 7.7%, with a concomitant increase in normal-weight babies from 62.1 to 82.7%. The elevated miscarriage rate (26.0%) in these obese women persisted after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Major weight loss following BPD improves the reproductive function of severely obese women. BPD provides major beneficial effects for both mother and child, including normalization of gestational weight changes, reduction of fetal macrosomia, and normalization of the infant's birth-weight. Our results speak in favor of delaying pregnancy in obese women until after the substantial surgical weight loss has occurred.
Marceau
Picard
P
Department of Surgery, Laval University, 2725 chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec G1V 4G5, Canada. picard.marceau@chg.ulaval.ca
Kaufman
Daniel
D
Biron
Simon
S
Hould
Frédéric-Simon
FS
Lebel
Stéfane
S
Marceau
Simon
S
Kral
John G
JG
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D015904:Biliopancreatic Diversion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome