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Women’s experiences of pregnancy after gastric bypass surgery

Thies-Lagergren, Li LU orcid ; Mårtensson, Azin and Safi, Anahita (2022) In European Journal of Midwifery 6(August).
Abstract

INTRODUCTION Globally, 20% of women who become pregnant are obese at the time of conception. The prevalence of women becoming pregnant after gastric bypass (GBP) surgery has been increasing. Little is known regarding women’s experiences of pregnancy after GBP surgery and midwives can expect to care for an increasing number of women with prior GBP surgery. Midwives play an important role in supporting these women. The aim of this study was to describe women’s experiences of pregnancy after gastric bypass surgery. METHODS This was a qualitative descriptive interview study using content analysis including 13 women who had a pre-pregnancy GBP surgery. Women were recruited at antenatal clinics, a specialist maternity care unit, and via... (More)

INTRODUCTION Globally, 20% of women who become pregnant are obese at the time of conception. The prevalence of women becoming pregnant after gastric bypass (GBP) surgery has been increasing. Little is known regarding women’s experiences of pregnancy after GBP surgery and midwives can expect to care for an increasing number of women with prior GBP surgery. Midwives play an important role in supporting these women. The aim of this study was to describe women’s experiences of pregnancy after gastric bypass surgery. METHODS This was a qualitative descriptive interview study using content analysis including 13 women who had a pre-pregnancy GBP surgery. Women were recruited at antenatal clinics, a specialist maternity care unit, and via social media. RESULTS Three categories emerged: ‘Importance of support’, which described the nature of support from midwives; ‘The presence of the baby in the womb’, which described the mother’s relationship to the unborn baby; and ‘Aggravating circumstances’, which described physical circumstances challenging the pregnancy and the experience of it. CONCLUSIONS Women who became pregnant after GBP surgery described ambivalent feelings about their pregnant selves. More knowledge is needed in how prior GBP surgery affects pregnant women emotionally. The study found that specific training and guidelines for the care by midwives are warranted for this group of women. Employers should ensure highly competent midwives to care for pregnant women with pre-pregnancy GBP surgery. To increase the knowledge on women’s childbearing experiences after a GBP surgery, more research with a qualitative design is needed, as there is currently a large research gap on the topic.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Gastric bypass surgery, Maternal experience, Midwives, Pregnancy, Qualitative study
in
European Journal of Midwifery
volume
6
issue
August
article number
52
publisher
European Publishing
external identifiers
  • pmid:35974718
  • scopus:85135871022
ISSN
2585-2906
DOI
10.18332/ejm/151550
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a3adac27-8581-4c89-b100-b6b9558fa2ab
date added to LUP
2022-09-12 14:29:19
date last changed
2024-09-06 04:49:31
@article{a3adac27-8581-4c89-b100-b6b9558fa2ab,
  abstract     = {{<p>INTRODUCTION Globally, 20% of women who become pregnant are obese at the time of conception. The prevalence of women becoming pregnant after gastric bypass (GBP) surgery has been increasing. Little is known regarding women’s experiences of pregnancy after GBP surgery and midwives can expect to care for an increasing number of women with prior GBP surgery. Midwives play an important role in supporting these women. The aim of this study was to describe women’s experiences of pregnancy after gastric bypass surgery. METHODS This was a qualitative descriptive interview study using content analysis including 13 women who had a pre-pregnancy GBP surgery. Women were recruited at antenatal clinics, a specialist maternity care unit, and via social media. RESULTS Three categories emerged: ‘Importance of support’, which described the nature of support from midwives; ‘The presence of the baby in the womb’, which described the mother’s relationship to the unborn baby; and ‘Aggravating circumstances’, which described physical circumstances challenging the pregnancy and the experience of it. CONCLUSIONS Women who became pregnant after GBP surgery described ambivalent feelings about their pregnant selves. More knowledge is needed in how prior GBP surgery affects pregnant women emotionally. The study found that specific training and guidelines for the care by midwives are warranted for this group of women. Employers should ensure highly competent midwives to care for pregnant women with pre-pregnancy GBP surgery. To increase the knowledge on women’s childbearing experiences after a GBP surgery, more research with a qualitative design is needed, as there is currently a large research gap on the topic.</p>}},
  author       = {{Thies-Lagergren, Li and Mårtensson, Azin and Safi, Anahita}},
  issn         = {{2585-2906}},
  keywords     = {{Gastric bypass surgery; Maternal experience; Midwives; Pregnancy; Qualitative study}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{August}},
  publisher    = {{European Publishing}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Midwifery}},
  title        = {{Women’s experiences of pregnancy after gastric bypass surgery}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.18332/ejm/151550}},
  doi          = {{10.18332/ejm/151550}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}