How obesity treatment affects women's health and future pregnancies

Plain-English translation of NCT06945016 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated July 2025 · Translation generated July 2026 · How we translate trials

What is this trial?

The MONUCO study is a long-term research project that tracks women before, during, and after they receive treatment for obesity—either through surgery or medication. Researchers want to understand how these treatments affect women's nutrition, physical health, mental wellbeing, muscle strength, and their ability to have healthy pregnancies. If you become pregnant during the study, you and your baby's health will be monitored closely through pregnancy and the first few years of life.

Currently, there are gaps in our knowledge about how obesity treatments affect women's overall health—especially their nutrition, bone and muscle strength, mental health, and their ability to have healthy pregnancies and children. This study aims to fill those gaps so doctors can better support women throughout and after obesity treatment.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are female, between ages 18 and 55
you have obesity (BMI of 30 or higher)
you are approved for and starting obesity treatment—either surgery or medication—at one of the participating hospitals
you are able to read and write in Dutch
if you become pregnant during the study, you are between ages 18 and 45 and have been in obesity treatment for at least 4 months

You likely don't qualify if…

you are male or were not assigned female at birth
you are under 18 or over 55 years old (or over 45 if enrolling in the pregnancy part)
you have had previous bariatric surgery that needs to be redone, or you are pregnant with more than one baby
you are unable to complete questionnaires due to a mental or physical condition
you have severe malnutrition from other serious conditions like cancer or substance abuse

What participation looks like

If you join, you'll visit the study center multiple times over 10 years—starting 6 weeks before your obesity treatment begins, then at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and annually thereafter. At each visit, you'll answer questions about your diet, lifestyle, menstrual health, mood, and any digestive issues; have your weight, muscle strength, and body composition measured; and provide blood, urine, and stool samples (stored for future research). If you become pregnant, you'll have additional visits during each trimester and after birth, plus additional sample collections including breast milk. Some participants may also have advanced imaging scans (like bone density or MRI scans) and wear activity trackers.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jul 7, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

Netherlands

Rijnstate Elst, Vitalys, Elst, Gelderland