Weight Gain During Pregnancy

The amount of weight you need to gain during pregnancy depends upon how much you weighed before you became pregnant.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG):

• Women who have a normal weight before getting pregnant should gain between 25 to 35 pounds during their pregnancy.
• Women who are underweight before pregnancy should gain 28 to 40 pounds during their pregnancy.
• Women who are overweight should gain 15 to 25 pounds during their pregnancy.

Research shows that women who gain more than the recommended amount of weight during their pregnancies have a higher chance of being obese 10 years later.

However, each woman is different and each pregnancy is different. Some women who gain more weight during their first trimester often see a slowed weight gain during the 2nd trimester and therefore still gain the recommended amount of total weight for pregnancy. Ask your doctor how much weight gain would be healthy for you during pregnancy. Also, speak with your doctor about gaining weight steadily, and how much weight you should expect to gain during each trimester.