ABSTRACT
The authors report two cases of obese women who had had intestinal short-circuit operations for obesity 18 months and 24 months previously. They review the indications for this type of operations and the effects the operation has on the body. It has been possible to find 85 other cases in the literature. In general the pregnancy proceeds well but it is important to carry out very strict supervision of the electrolyte balance, of the hypoprotinaemia and of the blood count. Mechanical complications of the short-circuit operation are rare. While abortions and premature labours are not more frequent in these than in other cases the child is often moderately small-for-dates. Congenital malformations can be raised and are of the order of 7 per cent. These fetal abnormalities, as well as maternal digestive troubles, are definitely more frequent if the interval between the operation and the pregnancy is short. It is therefore preferable to wait for two years before allowing a woman who has had a short-circuit type of operation to become pregnant.
