Bariatric surgery can be major step in solving infertility

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Excess weight affects our health in so many ways beyond the heart and blood vessels. For women, it can lead to infertility.

Addressing that weight through bariatric surgery can be a big step toward parenthood.

"I would gain 15 pounds, lose 15 pounds, then I would gain more weight," says Delilah Lebron of North Philadelphia.

Delilah spent many years on that roller coaster, always struggling with her weight, but feeling she'd conquer it on her own.

"Then I got pregnant with my twins at 26. I gained 70 pounds on top of the fact that I was already 300 pounds," she says.

Struggling to keep up with her young twins, often breathless and short on energy, Delilah decided it was time for bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgeon Dr. Tatyan Clarke of Temple Health says excess weight affects fertility in several ways.

"Obesity itself actually affects hormone secretion and regulation, which affects the menstrual cycle, and it affects ovulation," Dr. Clarke explains.

It is also linked to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS.

"Which in and of itself, affects how your body creates and releases eggs," says Dr. Clarke.

Obese women who do get pregnant also stand a bigger risk of complications, like Cesarean deliveries, stillbirths and problems with anesthesia.

"Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature births, complications with the baby after birth," Dr. Clarke adds.

The popular injectable drugs can lower weight, but "Patients see the most profound effect on their fertility with bariatric surgery," said Dr. Clarke.

And those changes can come fast.

"Sometimes their fertility comes back very, very quickly, like within weeks to months," says Dr. Clarke.

So, bariatric doctors recommend a very effective birth control for 18 months to 2 years.

Delilah learned how quickly fertility can return. Six months after surgery, she was pregnant with her daughter.

By carefully balancing nutrition for both mother and child, the baby arrived healthy and well, even though Delilah lost weight during her pregnancy.

And now she's again working on her weight loss and being an involved mom.

"I can go out with my kids to the park. I can walk them to school," she says.

Delilah says she's delighted to have energy and endurance back and also walks up to 20,000 steps a day at work, which helps.

Dr. Clarke says bariatric surgery also lowers the risk of weight-driven cancers, like breast and uterine cancer, which are currently on the rise.