Bariatric surgery and fertility: Can I still conceive after rapid weight loss? More than half of bariatric surgery patients are females, and of that group, about 60% are married. Many of my patients have expressed their desire to get pregnant in future and asked ifit’s safe to conceive after weight loss surgery. The short answer is yes, of course.

Almost everyone desires a nice, svelte body that’s free of health problems. Depending on how far you’re willing to go, some attempt extreme crash diets to lose weight fast, while others take a slow and steady approach that can last from months to years. For a small pool of individuals, surgery might come to mind. 

Besides tobacco, obesity contributes to almost 40% of cancers, including kidney, liver, pancreatic, colorectal and post-menopausal breast and endometrial cancer. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is responsible for 20% of cancer-related deaths in women and 14% in men. Surely this should mean that by reducing obesity rates, we could bring down the risk of cancer in many at-risk individuals. Currently, bariatric surgery is an effective strategy for individuals with morbid obesity who fail to lose weight despite a supervised diet and exercise program.

But does bariatric surgery, that brings about weight loss, have potential cancer prevention effects? So far, the literature demonstrates a positive link mostly in post-menopausal endometrial and breast cancers only. Why is this so? Let’s find out more.

Gastric balloons are an alternative for those who wish to lose weight but do not qualify for bariatric surgery. There are a few types of gastric balloons in the market, with the latest one being the Elipse gastric balloon, which we will be launching soon. I’ve written a comprehensive article on the Elipse gastric balloon in a previous post, you may check it out here.

A few patients have reached out to me regarding the Elipse balloon, specifically its pros and cons. Let me address those queries in this post together with other information about the balloon that’s good to know.

First, let’s quickly recap how gastric balloons work.

Obesity is a serious problem not just in Singapore but worldwide. Not only is obesity associated with poorer mental health and reduced quality of life, it’s also one of the leading causes of health conditions like diabetes, stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Apart from the standard weight loss protocol, bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery is something severely obese options can consider. It involves changing the anatomy or position of the stomach and small intestines. Doing so causes a decrease in appetite and food absorption, thereby leading to weight loss.

There are a few types of bariatric surgery procedures to choose from. How can you decide which is best for you? In this article, I will compare the two bariatric procedures most commonly performed in Singapore: a gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.

Previously, I introduced something called a gastric balloon, a revolutionary treatment that allows overweight individuals to lose weight without bariatric surgery or a gastric sleeve procedure. I’m excited to announce that I will be one of the first in Singapore to launch the Elipse Balloon, a new generation of gastric balloon from Europe that is swallowable like a pill.