Shared on social media recently was a new review article detailing the impact that bariatric surgery has on the outcomes of pregnancy.
Clicking through to the article published in Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology and in the abstract you’ll learn that, there has been an increasing “resort” to bariatric surgery (so awful we have an incredibly effective procedure people are opting for?), and that “fertility and sexuality are enhanced, but not all gynecological diseases are ameliorated” (it needs to be spelled out that not all gyne diseases are ameliorated as if that’s surprising or bad?).
It gets worse of course. In the introduction you’ll learn that the authors believe obesity is a, “social burden” (damn those fatties), “consequent upon human behavior” (they’re so lazy and gluttonous) and that surgery is offered after therapies “dependent on individual patient circumstances and motivation” fail (they just aren’t trying hard enough).
I think you get the point. Six authors, at least a few editors, and three peer reviewers didn’t blink at any of this and I’m only 492 words in.
Meanwhile that language upholds some of the most harmful stereotypes of obesity.
And it’s everywhere.
Go figure medicine is still rife with weight bias.
In case you missed it, I thought this was a particularly important first person discussion of long COVID (gift link btw) and where this quote is the kicker
So how long am I going to do this? Until indoor air is safe for all, until vaccines prevent transmission, until there’s a cure for long covid. Until I’m not risking my family’s future on a grocery run. Because the truth is that however immortal we feel, we are all just one infection away from a new life.
Have a great weekend!
As someone who likely has lipedema, I so appreciate this article. I have gained weight on Weight Watchers and other diet plans. I also have no thyroid (post RAI) and suffered under replacement of T3 for years. I’m just now, in my 60s, understanding what I’ll be able to control in terms of weight and body size and what is beyond my control. Weight and size are complicated. Doctors need to respect that and always approach each patient with compassion.
So very true! I lost a good friend to cancer because the doctors could not look past his size and treat his medical situation.