Each year, World Health Day invites us to reflect on the most urgent global health challenges—and this year’s theme, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” shines a vital spotlight on maternal and newborn health.
Around the world, over 800 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and nearly 2.4 million newborns die within the first month of life each year. These are heartbreaking numbers, especially because the vast majority of these deaths are entirely preventable with timely access to quality care, education, and resources.
Raising awareness is just the beginning—we must also take bold action. Ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths means investing in women’s health across the entire spectrum: before pregnancy, during childbirth, and long after delivery.
That includes addressing one of the most overlooked and underestimated threats to women’s health today: obesity.
Obesity: A Common and Destructive Disease for Women
Obesity is not just a matter of appearance—it is a chronic disease that impacts nearly every system in the body. For women, especially those of reproductive age, the stakes are even higher.
- More than 40% of women worldwide are living with overweight or obesity.
- Obesity increases the risk of infertility, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and miscarriage.
- Obese women are also more likely to experience complications during childbirth and face higher maternal mortality rates.
- Beyond pregnancy, obesity is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and certain cancers—including breast and endometrial cancer.
Despite its prevalence and life-threatening consequences, obesity is still underdiagnosed and undertreated—especially among women.
Bariatric Surgery: A Lifesaving Treatment, Not a Last Resort
As part of this year’s World Health Day message, we must emphasize that treating obesity is one of the most powerful ways to protect women’s health—now and in the future. And among all available treatments, bariatric surgery remains the gold standard.
Here’s why:
✅ Effectiveness: Bariatric surgery is the most effective long-term treatment for obesity, resulting in sustained weight loss of 60–80% of excess weight.
✅ Health Improvement: It can resolve or significantly improve type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and joint pain—all within months after surgery.
✅ Fertility and Pregnancy: For women struggling with PCOS or infertility, bariatric surgery often restores hormonal balance and improves chances of natural conception.
✅ Prevention: It reduces the risk of more than 13 types of cancer, including some that are unique to women.
✅ Safety: Modern techniques and expert care make bariatric surgery safer than gallbladder removal or knee replacement surgery.
✅ Affordability: At Do It Bariatrics, we make this life-changing surgery accessible and affordable for patients across the globe, without compromising medical excellence.
A Future Worth Fighting For
This World Health Day, I stand in solidarity with healthcare workers and advocates urging global action to prioritize maternal health. But we must go further.
We must also advocate for early intervention, comprehensive obesity care, and greater access to bariatric surgery—especially for women who are too often dismissed, delayed, or denied treatment.
When we give women the tools to reclaim their health, we don’t just save lives—we create healthier beginnings for their children, their families, and future generations.
To every woman struggling with obesity:
You are not alone. You are not to blame. And you deserve access to safe, effective, and compassionate care.
Let 2025 be the year we rewrite the story—starting with you.
