It is well known that
maternal obesity has adverse effects on the health of offspring, causing immediate and long-term morbidities. The various types of procedure coming under the heading of
bariatric surgery have proved effective in preventing some maternal and foetal complications in morbidly obese pregnant women. This review aims to assess the role, the risks and the benefits of
bariatric surgery for mothers and offspring. According to recent findings, pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in morbidly obese women who have undergone
bariatric surgery depend to some extent on the type of surgery used. Maternal complications, nutritional defects and
intestinal obstruction are more frequently reported after
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and
biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) than after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedures, whereas
caesarean section, preterm delivery and
neonatal death are more commonly reported after RYGB than after LAGB. The authors of the only long-term follow-up study conducted on this subject reported that the rate of
obesity in the children dropped by 52% after
bariatric surgery for the mother, and the cases of
severe obesity decreased by 45%. Data on pregnancy and
bariatric surgery confirm that the procedure is more effective than dietary measures alone in morbidly obese women, and that pregnancy outcome is generally favorable after surgery. Some studies have indicated, nonetheless, that pregnancies after
bariatric surgery are at higher risk: the women affected require special medical attention, particularly as concerns gastrointestinal symptoms and
vitamin deficiencies, warranting nutritional/dietary counselling by a multidisciplinary team before, during and after pregnancy.