Reproductive health counseling, attitudes, and practices: a cross-sectional survey among bariatric surgeons

Background: Women of childbearing age constitute a substantial proportion of patients who undergo weight loss procedures. However, little is known regarding family planning knowledge, attitudes, and practices among bariatric surgeons. Objectives: We explored the reproductive health and contraceptive practices among bariatric surgeons. Setting: A national society of bariatric surgeons. Methods: A cross-sectional study. Anonymous surveys were sent to all members of the Israeli Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Results: The Israeli Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery survey elicited a response rate of 96% (n = 48). Most (89.6%, n = 43) considered female reproductive health perioperative counseling very important, and the majority of respondents (66.7%, n = 32) felt comfortable discussing these issues. Nevertheless, only 54.2% (n = 25) reported routinely having family planning and pregnancy conversations with their patients. There was a general awareness that women should delay conception after surgery; however, only a minority of bariatric surgeons consistently either recommended the use of contraception after surgery (39.6%, n = 19) or referred patients for contraceptive advice (25.0%, n = 12). Most (81.3%, n = 39) practitioners reported not having accurate knowledge of contraception and felt that collaboration with other bariatric healthcare providers would provide patients with optimal reproductive-health counseling. Conclusions: Bariatric surgeons acknowledged the importance of reproductive healthcare and the need to delay conception among women undergoing bariatric surgery. However, they inconsistently addressed family planning and contraceptive issues and reported lack of accurate knowledge in this regard. This highlights the need for multidisciplinary collaboration between bariatric healthcare providers to improve reproductive and contraceptive care in these patients.