Objective: To evaluate obstetric outcomes following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) in obese women.
Methods: Obstetric outcomes were compared in a retrospective case-control study with 427 obese women, 13 who underwent LABG and 414 who did not.
Results: The mean weight gain during pregnancy was significantly lower in the LABG group than among controls (5.5 kg vs. 7.1 kg; P<0.05). The incidence of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, low birth weight, and fetal macrosomia was less in the LABG group (P<0.05), and the incidence of cesarean deliveries during labor was half in the LAGB group (15.3% vs. 34.4%; P<0.01). Neonatal outcomes were not significantly different in the 2 groups.
Conclusions: Among obese women, the incidence of adverse obstetric outcomes was less in those who underwent LABG than in those who did not. These results suggest that obese women who wish to become pregnant would decrease their risk of obstetric complications if they first underwent LAGB.