title: Reproductive health of women electing bariatric surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the reproductive health history and characteristics of women having bariatric surgery and to determine whether this differs by age of onset of obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective and cross-sectional analyses of self-reported survey data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six sites of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2 study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 1,538 females having bariatric surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reported polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), pregnancy and fertility history, contraceptive use, and plans for pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 44.8 years (range, 18-78 years); mean body mass index was 47.2 kg/m2 (range, 33.8-87.3 kg/m2). PCOS had been diagnosed by a health care provider in 13.1% of subjects. Of women who had tried to conceive, 41.9% experienced infertility and 61.4% had a live birth after experiencing infertility. In the whole group, prior live birth was reported by 72.5%. Women who were obese by 18 years old were more likely to report PCOS and infertility and less likely to have ever been pregnant, compared with women who became obese later in life. Future pregnancy was important to 30.3% of women younger than 45 years, whereas 48.6% did not plan to become pregnant in the future. In the year before surgery, 51.8% used contraception.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-reporting of obesity by age 18 appears to be related to reproductive morbidity. Women undergoing bariatric surgery have important reproductive health care needs, including reliable contraception and counseling about plans for postoperative pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: ggosman@mail.magee.edu.
authors.forename: Gabriella G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Gosman
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Wendy C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schrope
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Fargo, North Dakota.
authors.forename: Kristine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.affiliation: Cornell University, Weill/Cornell School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Gladys W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Strain
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Anita P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Courcoulas
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Flum
authors.affiliation: East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pender
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Hyagriv N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Simhan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017584:Reproductive History; D018456:Reproductive Medicine; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult