What should pregnant women who have undergone weight reduction surgery avoid during their pregnancy?

Pregnant women who have undergone weight reduction surgery should specifically avoid 50-g glucose load testing at 28 weeks due to the significant risk of developing gestational diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance often associated with this patient population. Following bariatric surgery, the body's metabolism and the way it handles carbohydrates can be altered, making the standard testing methods potentially misleading or harmful.

Post-surgical physiological changes, such as decreased gastric capacity and altered nutrient absorption, can affect blood glucose levels. For these women, healthcare providers may opt for alternative methods to monitor glucose levels and assess for gestational diabetes, ensuring the health and safety of both the mother and the developing fetus.

Routine blood tests, intensive insulin therapy, and dietary supplements may be appropriate depending on the individual patient's health plan and management of their pregnancy post-surgery. These options do not carry the same level of concern that the glucose load testing does in this context.