Pregnancy: Healthy Weight Gain-Topic Overview
During pregnancy, lots of women wonder about how their body will change and how much weight they will gain. Maybe this is something that you've been thinking about too.
Weight gain is healthy and normal when you're pregnant. And there's no fixed number of pounds that you should be aiming for. Instead, there's a range of weight gain that's good for you and your baby.
Ask your doctor what your range is for healthy weight gain. It's based on your health, your pregnancy, and your weight before pregnancy.
If you're worried about weight gain during pregnancy, try not to focus too much on the numbers. Think more about having a healthy pregnancy by being active and feeding your baby with healthy foods.
Gaining too much or too little weight raises some health risks for you and your baby.
Gaining too much weight when you're pregnant can raise your risk of having a large baby. If your newborn is 10 lb (5 kg) or larger, you may be more likely to have:
Also, a newborn who is 10 lb (5 kg) or larger may become overweight or obese later in life. That could mean that he or she will have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can also make it harder to lose that weight later on.
And if you are very overweight (obese) during pregnancy, you have greater risks for:
Gaining too little weight when you're pregnant raises your baby's risks for early birth, and for low birth weight and size. When this happens, a newborn is at greater risk for:
Weight gain is healthy and normal when you're pregnant. And there's no fixed number of pounds that you should be aiming for. Instead, there's a range of weight gain that's good for you and your baby.
Ask your doctor what your range is for healthy weight gain. It's based on your health, your pregnancy, and your weight before pregnancy.
If you're worried about weight gain during pregnancy, try not to focus too much on the numbers. Think more about having a healthy pregnancy by being active and feeding your baby with healthy foods.
Why does weight gain during pregnancy matter?
Gaining too much or too little weight raises some health risks for you and your baby.
Gaining too much weight when you're pregnant can raise your risk of having a large baby. If your newborn is 10 lb (5 kg) or larger, you may be more likely to have:
- A long labor and birth.
- Cesarean birth.
- An injury to you or your baby during childbirth.
- A poor supply of oxygen for your baby during labor.
Also, a newborn who is 10 lb (5 kg) or larger may become overweight or obese later in life. That could mean that he or she will have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can also make it harder to lose that weight later on.
And if you are very overweight (obese) during pregnancy, you have greater risks for:
- Pregnancy problems, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or preeclampsia.
- Cesarean birth and a higher risk of problems from it.
- Miscarriage or stillbirth.
- Having a baby with a birth defect, such as a heart defect or neural tube defects.
Gaining too little weight when you're pregnant raises your baby's risks for early birth, and for low birth weight and size. When this happens, a newborn is at greater risk for:
- Illness in the first weeks of life.
- Physical and mental disabilities.
- Long-term health problems later in life.