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Normal weight gain during pregnancy kg


Managing your weight gain during pregnancy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Most women should gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds (11.5 to 16 kilograms) during pregnancy. Most will gain 2 to 4 pounds (1 to 2 kilograms) during the first trimester, and then 1 pound (0.5 kilogram) a week for the rest of the pregnancy. The amount of weight gain depends on your situation.

  • Overweight women need to gain less (15 to 25 pounds or 7 to 11 kilograms or less, depending on their pre-pregnancy weight).
  • Underweight women will need to gain more (28 to 40 pounds or 13 to 18 kilograms).
  • You should gain more weight if you are having more than 1 baby. Women having twins need to gain 37 to 54 pounds (16.5 to 24.5 kilograms).

A balanced, nutrient-rich diet, along with exercise, is the basis for a healthy pregnancy. For most pregnant women, the right amount of calories is:

  • 1,800 calories per day in the 1st trimester
  • 2,200 calories per day in the 2nd trimester
  • 2,400 calories per day in the 3rd trimester

Much of the weight that you gain during pregnancy is not fat, but is related to the baby. Here is a breakdown of how 35 pounds (16 kilograms) adds up:

  • Baby: 8 pounds (3.5 kilograms)
  • Placenta: 2 to 3 pounds (1 to 1.5 kilograms)
  • Amniotic fluid: 2 to 3 pounds (1 to 1.5 kilograms)
  • Breast tissue: 2 to 3 pounds (1 to 1.5 kilograms)
  • Blood supply: 4 pounds (2 kilograms)
  • Fat stores: 5 to 9 pounds (2.5 to 4 kilograms)
  • Uterus growth: 2 to 5 pounds (1 to 2.5 kilograms)

Some women are already overweight when they get pregnant. Other women gain weight too quickly during their pregnancy. Either way, a pregnant woman should not go on a diet or try to lose weight during pregnancy.

It is better to focus on eating the right foods and staying active. If you do not gain enough weight during pregnancy, you and your baby may have problems.

Still, you can make changes in your diet to get the nutrients you need without gaining too much weight. Talk to your health care provider to get help with planning a healthy diet.

Below are some healthy eating tips to help you get started.

Healthy choices:

  • Fresh fruits and vegetables make good snacks. They are full of vitamins and low in calories and fat.
  • Eat breads, crackers, and cereals made with whole grains.
  • Choose reduced-fat dairy products. You need at least 4 servings of milk products every day. However, using skim, 1%, or 2% milk will greatly reduce the amount of calories and fat you eat. Also choose low-fat or fat-free cheese or yogurt.

Foods to avoid:

  • Naturally sweetened is better than foods and drinks with added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
  • Food and drinks that list sugar or corn syrup as one of the first ingredients are not good choices.
  • Many sweetened drinks are high in calories. Read the label and watch out for drinks that are high in sugar. Substitute water for sodas and fruit drinks.
  • Avoid junk-food snacks, such as chips, candy, cake, cookies, and ice cream. The best way to keep from eating junk food or other unhealthy snacks is to not have these foods in your house.
  • Go light on fats. Fats include cooking oils, margarine, butter, gravy, sauces, mayonnaise, regular salad dressings, lard, sour cream, and cream cheese. Try the lower-fat versions of these foods.

Eating out:

  • Knowing the amount of calories, fat, and salt in your food can help you eat healthier.
  • Most restaurants have menus and nutrition facts on their websites. Use these to plan ahead.
  • In general, eat at places that offer salads, soups, and vegetables.
  • Avoid fast food.

Cooking at home:

  • Prepare meals using low-fat cooking methods.
  • Avoid fried foods. Frying foods in oil or butter will increase the calories and fat of the meal.
  • Baking, broiling, grilling, and boiling are healthier, lower-fat methods of cooking.

Exercise:

  • Moderate exercise, as recommended by your provider, can help burn extra calories.
  • Walking and swimming are generally safe, effective exercises for pregnant women.
  • Be sure to talk to your provider before starting an exercise program.

If you have struggled with your weight in the past, it may be hard to accept that it is OK to gain weight now. It is normal to feel anxious as the numbers on the scale edge up.

Keep in mind that you need to gain weight for a healthy pregnancy. The extra pounds will come off after you have had your baby. However, if you gain a lot more weight than is recommended, your baby will also be bigger. That can sometimes lead to problems with delivery. A healthy diet and regular exercise are your best ways to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Prenatal care - managing your weight

Berger DS, West EH. Nutrition during pregnancy. In: Landon MB, Galan HL, Jauniaux ERM, et al, eds. Gabbe’s Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 6.

Bodnar LM, Himes KP. Maternal nutrition. In: Resnik R, Lockwood CJ, Moore TR, Greene MF, Copel JA, Silver RM, eds. Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 12.

Updated by: John D. Jacobson, MD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda Center for Fertility, Loma Linda, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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As your baby grows, you will gradually gain weight. Gaining less or more weight than is recommended can have health implications for you and your baby, such as too much weight gain increasing the risk of gestational diabetes. If you have concerns about how much weight you are gaining (or not) in your pregnancy, discuss this with your doctor or midwife.

What is normal weight gain in pregnancy?

How much weight you gain will depend on how much you weighed before your pregnancy.

To calculate how much you should gain, first work out your pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). The formula for calculating BMI is:

Your pre-pregnancy weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of your height (in metres).

So if you weighed 68kg and you’re 1.7m tall, your BMI calculation would be 68 / 1.7 x 1.7 = 23.5.

You can use the healthdirect BMI calculator to work out your pre-pregnancy BMI.

If your BMI was 18.5 to 24.9, you were in the healthy weight range before becoming pregnant, and ideally you should gain between 11.5kg and 16kg: 1 to 1.5kg in the first 3 months then 1.5 to 2kg each month until you give birth.

If you were above the healthy weight range, you should gain less. If you are below the healthy weight range, you should gain more.

Your weight gain can also be affected by:

  • carrying twins
  • having morning sickness

Talk to your doctor about what’s the best weight gain for you.

Why am I gaining weight?

Not only is your baby growing, but your body is also developing extra body tissue. You will put on weight because:

  • your breasts grow larger
  • your uterus grows bigger
  • there is amniotic fluid around the baby
  • the placenta grows larger
  • your body creates extra blood and fluid

What are the problems with gaining too much weight?

Your weight gain will be monitored throughout your pregnancy. If you gain more than 16kg, you and your baby could be at greater risk of complications such as:

  • gestational diabetes
  • hypertension
  • caesarean section
  • having a large baby (macrosomia)
  • stillbirth

Babies born to mothers who put on too much weight are more likely to develop overweight and obesity in later life, develop more health problems, and be born with heart disease (especially if you smoke as well).

Managing your weight gain

You can help put on the right amount of weight by:

  • eating a healthy, nutritious diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals, legumes, lean meat, fish and low-fat dairy products
  • avoiding fatty and sugary foods and drinks
  • getting some regular moderate exercise

Make sure you know which foods are safe to eat during your pregnancy.

How much more food should I eat?

It’s important to eat well when you’re pregnant to give your baby a healthy start. But you don’t have to ‘eat for 2’, as some well-meaning people may have suggested.

You’ll probably find you don’t need to consume too many extra kilojoules in the first 3 months. As your baby grows, an extra 1,400 to 1,900 kilojoules a day in the second and third trimesters is likely to provide a healthy weight gain. It’s best to add that extra kilojoules through healthy food. This includes fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals, legumes, lean meat, fish and low-fat dairy products.

You should check that your diet contains the nutrients that keep you healthy and that will give your baby a healthy start such as folic acid, iron, calcium, iodine and protein.

It’s important to avoid foods that are high in sugar and/or fat and that don’t provide any vitamins or minerals.

Keeping up your fluid intake is also important — it’s recommended you drink about 2L of water each day. Morning sickness can make you dehydrated, so talk to your doctor or health professional if you’re not retaining enough fluids.

How much should I exercise?

Unless your doctor advises otherwise, you can start or continue with regular exercise when you’re pregnant as long as you adjust your activity to suit your stage of pregnancy. About 30 minutes each day of walking, swimming or pregnancy exercise classes will help — but don’t do more than 20 minutes of fast physical activity at a time, to avoid overheating.

Walking, swimming, aqua aerobics and pregnancy exercise classes are good choices. They will help prevent you from putting on extra weight, reduce your risk of gestational diabetes, and make you fitter so you can cope with labour better.

Sources:
Cochrane Library (Diet or exercise, or both, for preventing excessive weight gain in pregnancy), Eat for Health (Healthy eating when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding), Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (Pregnancy and weight), SA Health (Healthy weight during pregnancy), Physical Activity Australia (Pregnancy and exercise), Raising Children Network (17 weeks pregnant)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: December 2020


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Related pages

  • Exercising during pregnancy
  • Healthy diet during pregnancy

Need more information?

Pregnancy weight gain

Pregnancy weight gain is normally 11. 5-16kg. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy is unhealthy. Overweight and obese pregnant women should gain only 5-9kg.