Bariatric Surgery Minimizes Pregnancy Complications for Obese Women
Bariatric Surgery Minimizes Pregnancy Complications for Obese Women
March 23, 2009
Medical Research, Press Releases
BEER-SHEVA, ISRAEL, March 23, 2009 – Women who undergo bariatric surgery to treat obesity will reduce the risk of medical and obstetric complications when they become pregnant, according to a study by researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’s (BGU) Faculty of Health Sciences.
The study was recently published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics by BGU Professor Eyal Sheiner and Dr. Adi Weintraub, also of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Soroka University Medical Center.
Between 1988 and 2006, 176 women had 301 (0.17%) deliveries that occurred before bariatric surgery and 354 women had 507 (0.28%) deliveries that occurred after bariatric surgery.
The study indicated that the risk of gestational diabetes alone drops by 60 percent when an obese woman has bariatric surgery before getting pregnant.
There were significantly lower rates of hypertensive disorders in general and severe pre-eclampsia in particular, as well as lower rates of diabetes mellitus and anemia (defined as maternal hemoglobin less than 10 g/dL) following bariatric surgery.
The study did show, however, a significantly higher rate of cesarean births in women who had undergone bariatric surgery.
The prevalence of people who are overweight or obese has increased dramatically in high-income countries over the past 20 years.
In the United States, for example, figures for 1999 through 2002 showed that some two-thirds (65.1%) of Americans aged 20 years or older had a body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) greater than 25 and were considered overweight.
One-third (30.4%) were considered obese (BMI greater than 30), and 4.9% were morbidly obese (BMI greater than 40). Between 1999 and 2002, close to one-third of women of childbearing age (20–39 years) in the United States were classified as obese.
ABOUT AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
By supporting a world-class academic institution that not only nurtures the Negev, but also shares its expertise locally and globally, Americans for Ben-Gurion University engages a community of Americans who are committed to improving the world. David Ben-Gurion envisioned that Israel’s future would be forged in the Negev. The cutting-edge research carried out at Ben-Gurion University drives that vision by sustaining a desert Silicon Valley, with the “Stanford of the Negev” at its center. The Americans for Ben-Gurion University movement supports a 21st century unifying vision for Israel by rallying around BGU’s remarkable work and role as an apolitical beacon of light in the Negev desert.
About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev embraces the endless potential we have as individuals and as a commonality to adapt and to thrive in changing environments. Inspired by our location in the desert, we aim to discover, to create, and to develop solutions to dynamic challenges, to pose questions that have yet to be asked, and to push beyond the boundaries of the commonly accepted and possible.
We are proud to be a central force for inclusion, diversity and innovation in Israel, and we strive to extend the Negev’s potential and our entrepreneurial spirit throughout the world. For example, the multi-disciplinary School for Sustainability and Climate Change at BGU leverages over 50 years of expertise on living and thriving in the desert into scalable solutions for people everywhere.
BGU at a glance:
20,000 students | 800 senior faculty | 3 campuses | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research.
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