The Influence of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on Pregnancy, Delivery, and Infant: Does Timing of Pregnancy Following Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Affect Outcomes?

Purpose Maternal obesity is associated with newborn morbidity and mortality; however, the literature discussing bariatric surgical effects on women’s fertility and pregnancy has reached diverse conclusions. We examined the effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on pregnancy, birth, and newborn outcomes regarding the time of conception. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective review of women who had LSG and conceived between 2007 and 2017. Data included maternal parameters, pregnancy progression, delivery, and newborn status. Pregnancies were divided into subgroups according to surgery to conception interval (≤ 12, 12–24, ≥ 24 months). Results We reviewed 68 patients: 48 (70%) conceived once, 13 (19%) conceived twice, 7 women (10%) conceived three times. There were 95 pregnancies and 80 live births. The group sizes were 18 (18.9%), 29 (30.5%), and 48 (50.5%) pregnancies for ≤ 12, 12–24, and 24 months after surgery, respectively. No difference was found between the subgroups regarding basic characteristics at time of surgery (age ( p = 0.100), weight ( p = 0.180), BMI ( p = 0.616); and at beginning of pregnancy weight ( p = 0.309), BMI ( p = 0.707), %EBMIL ( p = 0.321)). No significant differences were found concerning pregnancy progression, complications, and the newborns’ weight ( p = 0.41), GCT ( p > 0.99), preeclampsia ( p = 0.492), eclampsia ( p > 0.99), Pre-term ( p = 0.428), live birth ( p = 0.432), LGA ( p > 0.99), SGA ( p = 0.732). A statistically significant trend of increased rates of caesarean section in subject with longer surgery-to-conception intervals was detected ( P = 0.022). Conclusions Our results did not show that the interval between LSG and conception affects the pregnancy and newborn outcomes. Therefore, we believe that early conception following LSG does not increase the risk of maternal or neonatal morbidity or mortality. Graphical abstract