How much weight can you gain during pregnancy?

How much weight can you gain during pregnancy?

Every pregnant woman has her weight monitored at an appointment with her gynecologist once a month. How much weight a mother-to-be will gain during pregnancy depends on the baseline BMI a woman had before pregnancy. The less a woman weighed before, the more weight she can gain during pregnancy. According to the recommendations, with a BMI <18.5 a woman can gain as much as 16-18 kg. Women with multiple pregnancies can gain even more weight. If a woman suffered from overweight before pregnancy, she should gain correspondingly less weight, about 9 kg.

What makes up an expectant mother’s body weight?

The weight of a pregnant woman is affected by many factors. In addition to the enlarging uterus with the baby growing there, the weight of the placenta and the volume of amniotic fluid contribute to the weight gain of the mother-to-be. During pregnancy, the volume of circulating blood also increases, and the breasts increase in size and mass.

Diet during pregnancy

During pregnancy, one should not eat for two, but for two. The main idea is that the diet should be varied and rich in nutrients. For obese women, it is recommended to consult a nutritionist to discuss and plan a proper and healthy diet.

Highly processed and excessively sweetened products should be avoided during pregnancy. The diet should include grain products, vegetables, dairy products and vegetable fats. Limit animal fats.

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What foods should be excluded from a pregnant woman’s diet?

Is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy?

Weight loss diets or starvation diets should not be used during pregnancy. This is because this is the time when a child needs nutrients for proper development. A diet low in micro- and macronutrients can risk complications, such as iron-deficiency anemia. If the mother-to-be does not want to gain too much weight during pregnancy due to her initial body weight, it is worthwhile for her to consult her gynecologist and nutritionist.

What are the risks if a pregnant woman puts on too much weight?

Too much weight gain can lead to complications such as gestational diabetes and hypertension. The baby may develop fetal macrosomia, which is the risk of shoulder dystocia during delivery. In the future, it may struggle with overweight or metabolic syndrome. Pregnancies in obese women are also more likely to end in cesarean sections. Excess weight puts a woman at risk of becoming obese in the future, and this can lead to the development of chronic diseases such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes.