Antenatal care: pregnancy after bariatric surgery: practice question

A OBG question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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OBG · Antenatal care: pregnancy after bariatric surgery

Sample item

A woman who had a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass 8 months ago wishes to conceive. What advice is most appropriate?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Delay pregnancy until at least 12 months after surgery and screen for nutritional deficiencies

Rapid weight loss in the first 12 months or more after bariatric surgery makes pregnancy less advisable, and malabsorption can cause iron, B12, folate and calcium deficiency. Preconception counselling includes micronutrient supplementation and monitoring. Pregnancy is otherwise possible and often safer than with severe obesity.

Option by option

  • A. Delay pregnancy until at least 12 months after surgery and screen for nutritional deficiencies (correct)

    Correct. Waiting allows weight to stabilise while deficiencies are corrected.

  • B. Conceive immediately, since weight loss improves fertility without any risk

    Early pregnancy during rapid loss risks fetal growth problems and deficiencies.

  • C. Avoid antenatal visits as her weight is falling

    Antenatal care needs closer monitoring in this group.

  • D. Stop all vitamin supplements to prevent excess weight

    Supplements are more important after malabsorptive surgery.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is A, Delay pregnancy until at least 12 months after surgery and screen for nutritional deficiencies. Rapid weight loss in the first 12 months or more after bariatric surgery makes pregnancy less advisable, and malabsorption can cause iron, B12, folate and calcium deficiency.

Why is "Conceive immediately, since weight loss improves fertility without an…" not the answer?

Early pregnancy during rapid loss risks fetal growth problems and deficiencies.

Why is "Avoid antenatal visits as her weight is falling" not the answer?

Antenatal care needs closer monitoring in this group.

Why is "Stop all vitamin supplements to prevent excess weight" not the answer?

Supplements are more important after malabsorptive surgery.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antenatal care: pregnancy after bariatric surgery in OBG. Preconception counselling includes micronutrient supplementation and monitoring. Pregnancy is otherwise possible and often safer than with severe obesity.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Antenatal care: pregnancy after bariatric surgery?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.