Bariatric surgery status complicating childbirth

This code indicates that a patient's history of bariatric surgery is causing complications during the current childbirth encounter. It signifies that the previous surgical alteration of the gastrointestinal tract is impacting the labor, delivery, or postpartum period.

Apply this code when documentation clearly links a prior bariatric procedure (e.g., gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy) to an adverse event or increased risk during childbirth. This includes scenarios where the bariatric surgery status necessitates specific management strategies or contributes to complications like nutritional deficiencies, malabsorption, or altered medication metabolism affecting the delivery.

• Always sequence this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the primary obstetric complication or outcome of delivery.
• Ensure the medical record explicitly states the bariatric surgery as a contributing factor to the childbirth complication, not merely a past medical history item.
• Do not use this code if the bariatric surgery status is present but not documented as complicating the current childbirth.