Monica's story

At 33 and having been married for eight years, Monica Martinsen was desperate to have a baby. However at 22 stone and a sufferer of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), doctors were doubtful that she would ever conceive, even through IVF treatment. After £18,000 of failed IVF treatment, Monica never imagined that bariatric surgery could turn her life around and give her the baby that she had long desired.

Monica’s weight began to escalate during her early twenties after she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Despite knowing that this affected her fertility, Monica was desperate to have children. As her weight peaked at 20.5 stone, her GP was hesitant that IVF treatment would be successful due to her high cholesterol and blood pressure.

After two failed IVF attempts, Monica resorted to diet and exercise to lose weight and increase her chances of success. After researching weight loss surgery, Monica booked a consultation at the BMI Alexandra hospital in Cheshire to see Mr Basil Ammori, a leading bariatric surgeon in her locality.

She had a gastric bypass on the 1st April 2006 and started to lose weight steadily, helped with regular consultations and ready access to a nurse specialist and dietician. Six months after the operation, Monica discovered during a routine fertility test that she was pregnant. Instead of putting on weight during her pregnancy, Monica lost 10 stones and went on to deliver a healthy 7lb baby boy on the 23rd February 2007.