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Doctors are advising women who have had bariatric surgery to wait at least 2 years before trying to conceive to reduce the risk of a small-for-gestational-age baby.

The researchers brought out the fact, babies conceived less than 2 years post-bariatric surgery are 15- times more likely to be small for gestational age as those conceived after this cut-off point. The study also found that for each additional month after the 2-year time point from bariatric surgery to conception, there was an increase in birth weight and there was a 5% lower risk for a small-for-gestational-age neonate.

The researchers reviewed a cohort of 48 post-surgery pregnancies with a minimum follow-up of 30 weeks and determined the proportion of small-for-gestational-age neonates, defined as having a birth weight less than the 10th percentile. The mean maternal age was 34 years and 70.8% had a bariatric-surgery-to-conception interval of over 24 months, 14.6% of 12-24 months, and 14.6% of less than 12 months.

It was found that the overall, mean birth weight was 2.98 kg and the prevalence of small-for-gestational- age babies was 26.3%.

Authors recommend that women wait at least 2 years after bariatric surgery before trying to conceive, irrespective of the type of surgery and they pointed out that after discharge from their surgery, the women are cared and their nutrient deficiencies to have not been properly addressed.