Can I Get Pregnant After Gastric Sleeve?

Many people who come to us hope to start or grow a family. The short answer is yes, you can get pregnant after a gastric sleeve. Timing and planning make a real difference, for you and for your baby.

Weight and fertility

Obesity can make it harder to get pregnant. It can affect hormones and ovulation, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common hormone condition, is often linked with weight. In men, obesity is linked with lower testosterone.

For many people, losing weight helps periods and ovulation become more regular. That is good news if you hope to conceive, and a reason to plan ahead if you do not want to yet.

Why wait 12 to 18 months?

In the first year or so after a sleeve, you lose weight quickly and eat much less than before. During this time it is harder to get all the protein, vitamins and minerals that a growing baby needs.

That is why most groups advise waiting 12 to 18 months after surgery before you try to get pregnant, and some suggest up to 2 years, until your weight has settled.

Birth control after a sleeve

Fertility can return sooner than people expect, sometimes within months of surgery. If you could become pregnant, plan your birth control before surgery.

• Talk to your family doctor or gynecologist about the method that suits you.
• Pills may work less well if you vomit, and some guidelines prefer methods that do not depend on the gut, such as an IUD or an implant.
• Condoms can be used on their own or together with another method.

Planning a pregnancy

• Tell your 360 Sleeve care team and your family doctor before you start trying.
• Ask your dietitian to review your vitamins. Needs change before and during pregnancy, for example for folic acid and vitamin A.
• Have bloodwork to check iron, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D and other levels before you conceive.
• Keep protein first at every meal.

During pregnancy

Tell everyone caring for your pregnancy that you have had a sleeve. Your vitamins and bloodwork are usually checked more often.

The usual sugary-drink test for gestational diabetes may not suit everyone after weight-loss surgery, so your provider may suggest another way to check your blood sugar. Your dietitian can help you plan healthy weight gain.

What studies show

A large Swedish study compared pregnancies after weight-loss surgery with pregnancies in women of similar weight who had not had surgery. After surgery, gestational diabetes and very large babies were less common. Babies who were small for their age were more common.

This is one reason why nutrition, vitamins and regular checks during pregnancy matter so much after a sleeve.