Pregnancy safety after lap band
From the arsenal of weight loss weaponry comes the newest salvo - laparoscopic surgery, or the lap band. But because the major percentage of those who consider this procedure are women, the question being asked is whether lap band pregnancy is safe.
For those who have tried and failed repeatedly to lose weight, the lap band may be the answer they have been searching for. The lap band procedure is a type of bariatric surgery in which a silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach, creating a small pouch which fills quickly and slows food passage to the lower stomach. The resultant feeling of satiation means the patient will eat less, feel full sooner, and enjoy a subsequent and usually substantial weight loss. Those who have undergone the procedure can expect to lose one, sometimes two to three, pounds a week . Many patients lose up to 100 pounds the first year.
The risks of the lap band procedure are those of any major surgery and may include infections, irritated stomach tissue, bleeding, leaking of the access port (where the band is able to be inflated or adjusted), gastritis and in very rare cases, a heart attack or the danger of a blood clot entering the lungs. This is not an easy way out of dieting or a miracle cure for obesity, but a serious operation requiring careful consideration.
Becoming pregnant after the lap band has been placed may actually be easier for those who are seriously overweight or obese, as the two hormones most related to fertility, estrogen and testosterone, stabilize after the weight is lost and the menstrual cycle normalizes. In fact, the National Institute of Health states the surgery may increase the chance of getting pregnant by up to 50% in those who are excessively overweight.
Women who have lost excess pounds with the lap band will have a healthier pregnancy than those who remain seriously overweight. An adjustment to deflate the band may be used in the event of morning sickness, or the band can be deflated throughout the pregnancy to allow more food, and thus more nutrients, into the stomach. After the baby is born, the band can again be inflated to deal with postpartum weight gain.
In a lap band pregnancy, where conception has occurred after the band is in place, the major risk factor is the possibility of nutritional deficiencies for both the mother and the developing baby. Because the amount of solid food which can be eaten at one sitting is decreased, so too are the crucial vitamins and minerals. It is vital that women work with both their surgeon and obstetrician to monitor a healthy nutrition level and take supplements when necessary.
A woman is strongly advised not to become pregnant anywhere from one year to 18 months after lap band surgery. After all, this is the period when most of the weight loss will occur with its subsequent health benefits.
As with any serious medical surgery, there are both risks and benefits to take into account when considering whether or not to try the lap band. It can increase the chances of the obese becoming pregnant and, with proper nutritional guidance by your doctor, result in the birth of a healthy baby.
