How long after surgery is pregnancy an option?

Jen and David · May 30, 2007

Hi There,

I have been trying to find information on how long after surgery are you safely able to get pregnant. Anyone know or can point me in the right direction. My husband and I are attending a seminar in a few days so this is still new to us. Just curious.....

Thanks....

faithmd · May 30, 2007

Ask your surgeon at the seminar, every surgeon is different. Mine says two years, others say 18 months. Certainly women have oopsies all the time, but I would think to be as safe as possible and let the band get seated well, you'd want to wait about 6 months at least.

My surgeon actually makes you sign something saying you know that you aren't suposed to get pregnant for two years. I think that's to cover them in case you do and then you slip or have other issues.

Evilah · May 31, 2007

I've read a year. My surgeon didn't give me a time frame, but said pregnancy is okay after the band. Maybe after I get it, I will get a time frame from him.

Evilah

Alexandra · May 31, 2007

Faith is right; most doctors want you to wait at least 18 months to two years after banding, largely because that's the "window" of greatest loss and they want you to take full advantage of the surgery. That's not to say the surgery stops working, or that there is any sort of physiological reason weight loss can't continue after that, not at all. But getting pregnant right after surgery would seem to compromise the initial advantage of the surgery. There's nothing risky about getting pregnant after banding, but no bariatric surgeon wants to see his patients lose 40 lbs in the first six months and then start gaining weight again due to pregnancy.

Wait at least two years, is the advice I've always heard given.