WEIGHT GAIN DURING PREGNANCY

All women need to gain weight during their pregnancy.

Women should gain between 25 and 35 pounds during their pregnancy, but that’s if their weight is in the healthy range before they become pregnant.
During pregnancy, women should gain weight gradually, with most of the weight gained in the last 3 months. Many doctors suggest women gain weight at the following rate:

First 3 months – first trimester – 1 to 4 pounds.

4th to 9th months – second and third trimesters – 2 to 4 pounds per month.

A baby gains most of their weight and has rapid brain growth during the last weeks of pregnancy.


Recommended Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines

• Underweight – Gain about 28 to 40 pounds. Women who gain too little weight during their pregnancy may have a higher risk for a premature delivery and a low birth weight infant.
• Normal Weight – Gain about 25 to 35 pounds.
• Overweight – Gain about 15 to 25 pounds. It can be hard to lose the weight after your baby is born. Most women who gain the suggested amount of weight lose it with the birth of their baby and in the months that follow. Breastfeeding for more than 3 months can help you lose the weight you gained during your pregnancy.
• Obese – Gain at least 15 pounds.

If a woman gains too much weight or too little weight during pregnancy, the risks for complications during pregnancy and later in life can include:

• Hypertension in the mother
• Diabetes in the mother
• Preterm birth
• Low birth weight
• Macrosomia in the infant – Macrosomia describes an oversized fetus. Most common cause of macrosomia is diabetes in the mother. Macrosomia can lead to trauma during birth and a greater chance of a cesarean delivery. Disorders that include this condition are gigantism and acromegaly (enlargement of the bones of hands, feet and face).
• There is an association with chronic disease throughout life for both the mother and the child, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

Check Your Body Mass Index (BMI)

You can check your BODY MASS INDEX(BMI) before getting pregnant to determine if you are underweight, at a normal weight, overweight, or obese, based on your weight for your height.
You can also use this BMI Mathematical Formula:
Weight in pounds divided by height in inches divided by height in inches multiplied by 703 equals BMI.


Pregnancy Weight

• Baby – 7 and 1/2 pounds.
• Placenta – 1 and 1/2 pounds.
• Amniotic fluid – 2 pounds. Amniotic Fluid is the water around the baby.
• Breasts – 2 pounds.
• Uterus – 2 pounds.
• Body fluids – 4 pounds.
• Blood – 4 pounds.
• Maternal stores of protein, fat and other nutrients – 7 pounds.

A woman should not try to lose weight during her pregnancy. Women should talk with their doctor before, during, and after their pregnancy.