Bariatric Surgery is a Step Toward Reducing Infertility Risks

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Looking forward to her wedding and starting a family, Kelsi Wihlm decided to have bariatric surgery. She worried that her 285-pound weight, along with her health history, would affect her ability to conceive a child.

Two years after weight loss surgery and losing 125 pounds, she and her husband welcomed a son, Liam Ray Wilhm, born October 9, 2025. at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center. 

A baby after weight loss

Little Liam is the greatest gift to come from a weight loss surgery journey that Kelsi began in October 2023 after her primary care provider referred her to MercyOne North Iowa Bariatric Surgery.

“I think losing weight definitely helped me get pregnant,” Kelsi said. “My menstrual cycles became consistent, so it was much easier to track when I was ovulating.” She and her husband were thrilled she got pregnant right away, despite her history with PCOS, having only one ovary and past weight issues.

Before gastric bypass surgery, Kelsi’s weight made day-to-day tasks like walking upstairs, doing laundry, or grocery shopping difficult. Her mother’s weight loss surgery 10 years before was a success; Kelsi thought it would work for her too.

“There were many times when I couldn't walk up the stairs, walk far distances at a fast pace, or even wear heavy clothes because I would get short of breath and sweat excessively,” she said. “Simply carrying the laundry basket to the laundry room, I'd get short of breath and start to get hot. When I would go grocery shopping, I'd get dirty looks from people and I knew they were thinking, ‘Why is she so sweaty, why is she breathing so hard?’”

It made Kelsi uncomfortable in public settings or socializing with friends. Her family had a history of diabetes and heart disease, and she knew her excess weight added to those risks. Her weight and PCOS could also impede her ability to conceive a child. Obesity hinders fertility, while weight loss improves it.

Challenges and victories

Now with a new baby, Kelsi looks back at some of the challenges after weight loss surgery and knows it was well worth it. And once again, MercyOne was part of a positive and pivotal time in her life.

 “We couldn’t be happier with our birth experience at MercyOne.”

During her delivery, Kelsi’s blood pressure dropped, which made Liam’s heart rate drop. As she was told to prepare for a possible C-section, both her and Liam’s heart rates improved after stopping her epidural. She delivered him naturally.

Due to respiratory issues, Liam spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where his parents had another great experience. “All of our NICU nurses and doctors were amazing. We really connected on a personal level with Rachel, the NICU nurse we had in the room during delivery, and every night we were there. Being first-time parents and having our baby in the NICU was scary, but she helped us navigate all of it. We ended up nominating Rachel for the DAISY Award,” Kelsi said.

Kelsi has come a long way since her days shortly after gastric bypass surgery.  “I remember lying on the couch right after surgery, and my husband was making food, and it smelled so good.  Everywhere I looked, there was food, and I couldn't have any of it. Those first few months post-surgery were hard.”

Things do improve, she stressed.  As an added bonus, her husband lost 95 pounds with healthy eating.

Whenever she’s asked about bariatric surgery, Kelsi makes it clear that it’s not about being thin and looking better; it’s about her health overall.  “I'm more self-confident. Everything in my daily life has just gotten better.”