Weight gain during pregnancy: weekly gain norms, pathological values, recommendations for the expectant mother. Pregnancy: weight gain per week

Maria Sokolova

Reading time: 7 minutes

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Weight gain in an expectant mother should occur regardless of her appetite, desires and height with her physique. But you should monitor your weight more diligently during pregnancy than before. Weight gain has a direct connection with the process of fetal growth, and control over weight gain helps to prevent various troubles in a timely manner. Therefore, it wouldn’t hurt to have your own diary, where you regularly enter data on weight gain.

So, what weight is the norm for the expectant mother? , and how does weight gain occur during pregnancy?

Factors that affect a woman's pregnancy weight

In principle, there are simply no strict norms and weight gain - every woman has her own weight before pregnancy. For a girl in the “middle weight category” the norm will be considered increase – 10-14 kg . But she is influenced by many factors. For example:

• The growth of the expectant mother(accordingly, the taller the mother, the greater the weight).
• Age(young mothers are less likely to be overweight).
• Early toxicosis(after it, as you know, the body tries to replenish lost kilograms).
• Baby size(the larger it is, the heavier the mother is, accordingly).
• Little or polyhydramnios.
• Increased appetite, as well as control over it.
• Tissue fluid(with fluid retention in the mother’s body, there will always be excess weight).

To avoid complications, you should not go beyond the known weight limits. It's definitely not a good idea to go hungry. – the baby should receive all the substances he needs, and his health should not be risked. But you shouldn’t eat everything - lean on healthy dishes.

How much weight does a pregnant woman normally gain?

During the first third of pregnancy, the expectant mother, as a rule, gains about 2 kg. The second trimester adds more body weight to the “piggy bank” every week. 250-300 g. By the end of the term, the increase will already be equal to 12-13 kg.
How is the weight distributed?

• Baby– about 3.3-3.5 kg.
• Uterus– 0.9-1 kg
• Placenta– about 0.4 kg.
• Mammary gland– about 0.5-0.6 kg.
• Adipose tissue– about 2.2-2.3 kg.
• Amniotic fluid– 0.9-1 kg.
• Circulating blood volume(increase) – 1.2 kg.
• Tissue fluid– about 2.7 kg.

After the baby is born, the weight gained usually goes away quite quickly. Although sometimes you need to work hard for this (physical activity + proper nutrition helps).

Independent calculation of the weight of the expectant mother using the formula

There is no uniformity in weight gain. Its most intensive growth is observed after the twentieth week of pregnancy. Until then, the expectant mother can gain only 3 kg. At every examination of a pregnant woman, the doctor weighs her. Normally, the increase should be 0.3-0.4 kg per week. If a woman gains more than this norm, fasting days and a special diet are prescribed.

You cannot make such a decision on your own! If your weight gain does not deviate in any direction, then there is no particular reason to worry.

All women, one way or another, pay attention to their weight, but if in ordinary life diets, physical activity and other activities are designed only for your body, then with the onset of pregnancy you are responsible for the health of both. And, therefore, in a special state the norms will be different. In our article we will use the terms “weight” and “body weight”, in this context they are the same thing.

Total weight gain during pregnancy- This is an indicator of weight gain from the moment of diagnosed pregnancy until childbirth.

The biological value of weight gain during pregnancy is to create additional protection for the fertilized egg and the fetal sac. During pregnancy, adipose tissue is deposited mainly in the area of ​​the mammary glands, buttocks, thighs and abdomen. In addition to mechanical protection, fat plays an energy-storing role in case of hunger; it happened evolutionarily and your body simply performs its assigned task.

Why control your weight during pregnancy?

Optimal weight gain is one of the indicators of a normal pregnancy.

When registering you will be asked:

Do your blood relatives (mother, grandmother, sister) suffer from obesity, diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome (complex metabolic disorder),

Have you been overweight before?

Have you had any sudden weight gain or loss and, if so, how did it affect your menstrual cycle?

How much weight did you gain during your previous pregnancy (if this is not your first pregnancy), did you regain your weight and how quickly.

They will also measure your height and weight.

Weight control is carried out every visit and helps to suspect the development of various pathological conditions as early as possible. At home, body weight control is carried out weekly, in the morning you weigh yourself on an empty stomach, after the morning toilet, in the same clothes. It is expected that when you come to your appointment, you will weigh yourself in approximately the same clothes to avoid diagnostic errors.

Initially, a woman has a certain weight indicator; the body mass index is used to objectively assess it.

Body Mass Index (BMI)– a relative value that allows us to assess the degree to which a person’s mass corresponds to his height.

To calculate BMI, the height in meters must be squared (for example, 1.75 × 1.75 = 3.06). Then divide the weight in kilograms by the square of height (for example, 67 ÷ 3.06 = 21.9 and this is the norm).

BMI< 16 – выраженный дефицит массы тела (истощение)
BMI = 16-18.5 – underweight
BMI = 18.5-25 – normal weight
BMI = 25-30 – overweight
BMI = 30-35 – first degree obesity
BMI = 35-40 – second degree obesity
BMI = 40 or more – third degree obesity or morbid (pathological, painful).

Taking into account the initial body weight, the permissible weight gain will be calculated.

Women with a BMI less than 16

Young pregnant women (under 18 years of age) who are still growing and need optimal nutritional intake

Women with multiple pregnancies (especially if it is triplets/quadruples, etc.).

For other patients the following is given: table of total body weight gain during pregnancy.

Body weight gain by week.

Weight gain occurs unevenly, about 40% of the increase occurs in the first half of pregnancy, and 60% in the second.

Not all women experience weight gain from the very beginning of pregnancy. In the first weeks, there may even be a decrease in body weight caused by toxicosis, vomiting during pregnancy, and loss of appetite. For some women, the increase begins only at 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Weight gain occurs not only due to the accumulation of fat mass in the mother and increased weight of the fetus. Weight gain is a collective concept and includes several components:

1) Full-term fetus (indicators from 2500 to 4000 grams are considered normal, average weight 3500 grams)

2) Placenta (weight about 600 grams)

3) Umbilical cord and membranes (about 500 – 600 grams)

4) Amniotic fluid or amniotic fluid (approximately 1 liter)

5) Uterus (during pregnancy, the uterus stretches significantly, muscle fibers are rearranged, it receives a massive blood supply, and its weight is about 1 kg)

6) The volume of circulating blood in the “mother – placenta – fetus” system (or “third circle of blood circulation”, which is 1.5 – 2 liters)

7) Deposition of subcutaneous fat, gradual development of mammary glands (about 2 - 3 kg)

We bring a table showing approximate weight gain by week of pregnancy. However, you should always discuss this issue with the obstetrician-gynecologist caring for your pregnancy.

Gestational age in weeks	Initial BMI<18.5	Initial BMI 18.5 - 25	Initial BMI 30 or more
4	0 – 0.9 kg	0 – 0.7 kg	0 – 0.5 kg
6	0 – 1.4 kg	0 – 1 kg	0 – 0.6 kg
8	0 – 1.6 kg	0 – 1.2 kg	0 – 0.7 kg
10	0 – 1.8 kg	0 – 1.3 kg	0 – 0.8 kg
12	0 – 2 kg	0 – 1.5 kg	0 – 1 kg
14	0.5 – 2.7 kg	0.5 – 2 kg	0.5 – 1.2 kg
16	Up to 3.6 kg	Up to 3 kg	Up to 1.4 kg
18	Up to 4.6 kg	Up to 4 kg	Up to 2.3 kg
20	Up to 6 kg	Up to 5.9 kg	Up to 2.9 kg
22	Up to 7.2 kg	Up to 7 kg	Up to 3.4 kg
24	Up to 8.6 kg	Up to 8.5 kg	Up to 3.9 kg
26	Up to 10 kg	Up to 10 kg	Up to 5 kg
28	Up to 13 kg	Up to 11 kg	Up to 5.4 kg
30	Up to 14 kg	Up to 12 kg	Up to 5.9 kg
32	Up to 15 kg	Up to 13 kg	Up to 6.4 kg
34	Up to 16 kg	Up to 14 kg	Up to 7.3 kg
36	Up to 17 kg	Up to 15 kg	Up to 7.9 kg
38	Up to 18 kg	Up to 16 kg	Up to 8.6 kg
40	Up to 18 kg	Up to 16 kg	Up to 9.1 kg

Of all the indicators that add up to total body weight gain, we are especially concerned about fetal growth, since low birth weight is associated with a greater risk of many diseases.

Gestational age in weeks	Fruit weight in grams
11	11
12	19
13	31
14	52
15	77
16	118
17	160
18	217
19	270
20	345
21	416
22	506
23	607
24	733
25	844
26	969
27	1135
28	1319
29	1482
30	1636
31	1779
32	1930
33	2088
34	2248
35	2414
36	2612
37	2820
38	2992
39	3170
40	3373

All indicators given here are of an average nature, and you should not thoroughly check your ultrasound data with our table. The main thing in monitoring the growth of the fetus is not even the absolute body weight, but the dynamics of its increase. At the beginning of pregnancy, the rate of increase is about 10–60 grams per week, and in the third trimester it is already about 100–300 grams per week. We have provided approximate values, and if you are worried about the baby’s weight, you should additionally ask your obstetrician-gynecologist.

Normally, weight gain during pregnancy is smooth, without sudden jumps, and ultimately falls within the given norms. However, this is not always the case.

Excessive weight gain

Excessive weight gain can be diagnosed for a certain period (for example, if the weight gain in 1 week was 4 kg) or for the entire period of pregnancy. The earlier the tendency to pathological weight gain is identified, the more effective the treatment.

Criteria for excess weight gain:

More than 2 kg in 1 week at any period
- more than 4 kg in total in the first 3 months
- more than 1.5 kg monthly during the second trimester
- more than 800 grams in 1 week in the third trimester

Causes:

Overeating/poor nutrition (excessive consumption of salt, simple carbohydrates, fatty foods, foods with preservatives, fast food)

Excessive fluid intake

Sedentary lifestyle

Chronic diseases that existed before pregnancy (diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, varicose veins and others)

Complications or what are the dangers of being overweight during pregnancy?

For mother:

1. Increased blood pressure
2. Development of edema
3. Development of preeclampsia
4. Gestational diabetes mellitus
5. Varicose veins
6. Urinary tract complications (gestational pyelonephritis)
7. Symphysiopathies and other complications of the musculoskeletal system
8. Premature aging of the placenta
9. Threat of premature birth (the main reason will be hormonal imbalance)
10. Risk of post-term pregnancy, weakness of labor or incoordination of labor
11. Risk of PIV (premature rupture of amniotic fluid)
12. Technical difficulties during caesarean section

First of all, women with excessive weight gain are at risk for developing preeclampsia. If alarming weight changes are detected, the patient will be examined by a doctor more often, and according to indications, further examination will be prescribed or hospitalization will be suggested.

For a child:

1. Fetal hypotrophy or, conversely, the birth of large children (over 4000 grams) or giant children (over 5000 grams).

2. Fetal hypoxia due to placental disorders

3. Disproportional development (inconsistency in the development of the sizes of the head, shoulder girdle and pelvis). This point is especially important when the mother develops gestational diabetes mellitus, since in this case diabetic fetopathy develops (“fetos” - fetus translated from Greek “fetus”), which includes many indicators, including obesity in the shoulder girdle, which creates difficulty during childbirth and increases the risk of birth trauma.

4. Increased risk of neurological pathology (convulsive syndrome and others)

5. Increased risk of obesity and diabetes in the future

What to do?

I. Examination

1) Complete blood count (CBC)
2) General urine analysis or OAM (primarily the presence of protein in the urine)
3) Biochemical blood test or BAC (primarily blood sugar)
4) Consultation with a therapist, endocrinologist
5) Daily blood pressure monitoring according to indications
6) Monitoring the condition of the fetus (ultrasound, Dopplerometry, cardiotocography)

II. Treatment

1) Balanced diet.

The simplest recommendation at first glance would be “eat right,” but it is more difficult to implement than buying pills at the pharmacy. You should treat menu planning and meal planning as a regular task that cannot be put off. The time while you carry your baby under your heart is given so that you give him the maximum possible.

The assurances of others that now you have to “eat for two” is a fundamentally incorrect statement. The calorie content of food should increase by an average of 200-300 kilocalories per day, but the consumption of protein, iron, calcium, folate and other macro- and micronutrients actually increases significantly, but these useful elements are usually found in low-calorie foods (liver, low-fat meat, milk and lettuce).

The daily diet should include three main meals and two to three snacks.

Healthy snacks include fruits, vegetables, unsweetened yogurt, and bran bread croutons. You should always have a snack with you.

A pregnant woman should never be hungry!

It is recommended to include in the diet: lean meat in boiled, baked and grilled forms, all types of fish, eggs, all dairy and fermented milk products (limit sour cream, heavy cream and butter), vegetables (limit potatoes, consume them boiled or baked), fruits ( limit grapes, bananas, melon), dried fruits, cereals (limit semolina and polished rice), bran bread/gray bread, legumes (if their consumption does not cause flatulence and does not affect stool), vegetable oils for salad dressing.

In limited quantities: fried foods, marmalade, chocolate, marshmallows, marshmallows, honey, nuts, candied fruits, potatoes, bananas, grapes, melon, butter, heavy cream, sour cream.

Salt provokes the retention of excess fluid in the tissues, which can lead to the development of edema. It is very difficult to calculate the recommended 5 grams of salt per day, but try, at a minimum, not to add salt to prepared foods, use mustard and lemon juice for salad dressings, and avoid foods with a high salt content (sausages and sausages, chips, ready-made croutons, etc. ).

You can also arrange fasting days (kefir, curd, vegetable, apple). On such days, you leave yourself a full lunch, and replace other meals with the selected product. But you should not be hungry; the rule of 5-6 meals a day must be followed.

It is also necessary to observe the optimal drinking regime . On average, the volume of liquid consumed per day should be 1200 - 1500 ml, this includes tea, coffee and other drinks, liquid in soups and cereals, as well as fruits and vegetables. It will not be possible to calculate exactly, but this is not required; it is important to understand the approximate volume. Most of the volume consumed should be clean water.

2) Fight against constipation.

Irregular bowel activity leads to the formation of gases and makes it difficult to absorb even the beneficial substances that you consume, so you should strive to ensure that stool retention does not last more than 1 - 2 days.

Eat a salad of white cabbage, carrots and boiled beets at night
- eat 6 dried apricots or prunes daily
- if these products are ineffective during pregnancy, it is allowed to use osmotic laxatives based on lactulose (Normaze, Duphalac, Romphalac, Goodlac, Laktulozashtada), take them 2-3 times a day, 1 tablespoon. Sometimes 1 tablespoon of the drug at night is enough to have stool in the morning.

Fitness for pregnant women is now gaining popularity; in fact, much of the program can be done at home, especially if you purchase a fitball (a soft, large-sized rubber gymnastic ball).

Any physical activity should be consistent with the well-being and tone of the uterus.

4) Herbal diuretics(if weight gain is due to edema).

Canephron is used (2 tablets 3 times a day), brusniver (brew 1 filter bag 3-4 times a day), the duration of taking both drugs is determined by your doctor.

Also in this case, positional therapy will be beneficial: take the knee-elbow position for 3-15 minutes, up to 6 times a day, depending on how you feel.

Diet with limited carbohydrates, insulin therapy as indicated.

Insufficient weight gain.

Insufficient weight gain means that the pregnant woman’s body does not receive enough nutrients and vitamins. If the mother does not receive enough nutrition, then the unborn baby will soon be deprived.

Causes:

Poor nutrition/malnutrition

Long-term chronic diseases (cardiovascular and bronchopulmonary diseases, diseases of the digestive tract, infectious diseases, including HIV infection and hepatitis)

Bad habits (smoking, alcohol, psychoactive substances)

Poor nutrition is the most common cause, and it does not always affect socially disadvantaged patients. It should be remembered that pregnancy is not the time for dieting. We have given recommendations for nutritious nutrition above. The only difference is that patients with insufficient weight gain do not need to limit themselves to eating bananas, full-fat dairy products and vegetable oil.

The approach to bad habits is obvious; they are incompatible with pregnancy, and you should quit as soon as you find out that you are pregnant.

Complications caused by insufficient weight gain:

For mother:

1) Complicated pregnancy (threat of miscarriage)
2) Complicated course of labor (discoordination of labor, weakness of labor forces)
3) Anemia, hypovitaminosis (manifestations will be weakness, fatigue, dry skin, hair loss)

For a child:

1) Fetal hypotrophy (low weight), fetal growth restriction (lag behind the gestational age).

2) Chronic fetal hypoxia, increases the risk of antenatal fetal death.

3) The frequency of developmental defects increases (with folic acid deficiency, the risk of nervous system defects increases), and the risk of immunodeficiency in the future.

What to do?

I. Examination

1) UAC
2) OAM
3) TANK
4) Ultrasound of internal organs and kidneys
5) Screening for STIs according to indications
6) Consultations with specialized specialists (infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, nephrologist)

II. Treatment

1) Balanced nutrition (see above)
2) Additional food.

Pregnant women with insufficient body weight and/or anemia (starting from moderate severity) are prescribed additional nutrition free of charge, for example, dry instant mixture Juno, which is taken 3 tablespoons per day.

3) Treatment of vomiting during pregnancy

Toxicosis in the first half of pregnancy and vomiting during pregnancy lead to a sharp decrease in appetite, aversion to food and, as a result, weight loss. The nutrition of such patients should be very fractional, in small portions (if this means that you will eat a cracker or a spoonful of yogurt 10-12 times a day, then this means that this is your diet for this period), the food should be gentle in temperature and consistency . It is also necessary to replenish lost fluid and drink at least 1500 ml of fluid per day (weak tea, mineral water, natural juices and clean water). Vomiting in a pregnant woman, which is repeated more than 6 times a day and leads to decreased ability to work, requires medical intervention and fluid replenishment with intravenous saline.

4) Monitoring and treatment of chronic diseases.

Pregnancy in the presence of chronic diseases should be carefully planned, and the diseases should be in the stage of compensation. If pregnancy is unplanned, you should visit a specialized specialist as early as possible.

Pregnancy is a wonderful period in a woman’s life that cannot be repeated, but along with the joy of expecting a baby, you also acquire great responsibility. And, in a sense, pregnancy is work, so menu planning, doctor visits and diagnostic procedures, and regular weight monitoring should be treated as work tasks. And the result will be a successful pregnancy, your good health, uncomplicated childbirth and a healthy baby. Take care of yourself and be healthy!

Obstetrician-gynecologist Petrova A.V.

Weight is an eternal problem for women. They very scrupulously monitor the arrows of the scales; some are actively losing weight, while others, on the contrary, cannot cope with painful thinness. But one day the time comes when doctors begin to actively monitor your weight. And not at all in order to turn a woman into a beauty, but to monitor the state of her health and the health of her unborn baby. In this case we are talking about pregnancy.

Weighing for pregnant women becomes as necessary a procedure as, in fact, brushing your teeth in the morning. A pregnant woman is weighed by a doctor at every examination; she herself must monitor her weight: step on the scale every morning, on an empty stomach, and preferably in the same clothes.

In the first two months of pregnancy, a woman’s weight does not gain momentum. This is the stage when the woman’s body and the baby’s body “get used” to each other. In addition, toxicosis often occurs, which contributes to weight loss rather than weight gain. The approximate weight gain is about one or two kilograms.

A pregnant woman begins to grow and expand already in the second or third trimester. On average, the scales each week stop at indicators that are 250-300 g higher than the previous ones.

Normally, during the entire nine months of pregnancy, a woman should gain 10-12 kg. According to doctors, from the thirtieth week, the weight of the expectant mother begins to increase by 50 grams per day. For 300-400 g - per week. And no more than 2 kg per month.

A gynecologist will most likely use it to determine acceptable weight gain. In addition, he also observes the scale of weight gain in the last 3 months of pregnancy.

As a rule, doctors think something like this: no more than 22 grams for every 10 cm of height weekly. That is, if a pregnant woman is 160 cm tall, then normally she can gain 352 g in weight. And if she is 180 cm, then 400 g.

But each case is deeply individual, so all these indicators, although ideal, are quite conditional. How much a pregnant woman “gains” is influenced, first of all, by her age: the older she is, the more prone she is to becoming overweight. Of course, a pregnant woman’s weight also depends on whether she is inclined to be overweight or thin according to the constitution of her body. Of course, the weight you had before pregnancy is also important. By the way, the less she weighed before, the more she can weigh during pregnancy. This is due to the fact that before pregnancy the body could experience a “deficit” in the kilograms it needed. In addition, weight loss cannot but have an effect - the body will try to replenish it. And, of course, if it’s more than 4 kilograms, then the expectant mother has every right to gain a lot of weight.

Again, in “ideal” cases, the gained kilograms of a pregnant woman (the norm is 10-12 kilograms) are distributed as follows: the baby weighs about 3300 g, the uterus and amniotic fluid - 900 g each, the placenta - 400 g, the increase in circulating blood volume - 1200 g, mammary glands - 500 g, adipose tissue - 2200 g, tissue fluid - 2700 g.

This is how these 12 kilograms are formed. It is worth noting that this is the weight that is very easy to lose after childbirth - by eating wisely and properly and doing special gymnastics.

To calculate how many kilograms you can afford during pregnancy, you don’t have to go to the doctor. Try to calculate your norm yourself. All you need to know for this is your height and initial weight. Together they become the BMI index. Calculate your BMI: BMI = weight (kg) / [height (m)]².

According to the results of women with BMI< 19,8 - худощавого телосложения. Если

BMI = 19.8 - 26.0, then these are women of average build, and if BMI > 26, then this is already a category of obese women.

Especially for- Maria Dulina

Pregnancy for each expectant mother proceeds in its own way: for some, the wonderful 9 months are easy, for others, others suffer from unbearable toxicosis, back pain, headaches, swelling, constipation, etc. An individual indicator is also weight gain in during the gestation period.

Newborn babies differ little from each other in terms of weight; their mothers, while carrying the fetus, gain different amounts of kg, either within the norm or gaining excess weight. Some women do not gain any weight or lose it at all. We will understand all these subtleties in this article.

Norm of weight gain

It is a mistaken belief that weight is gained only for the needs of the fetus. Gaining a certain amount of kilograms is necessary for the development of pregnancy in general and the subsequent life of the newborn.

Weight distribution	Weight	% of total weight gain
	The weight of the child at the time of birth is 2500-4000 g, and increases significantly during the last weeks of pregnancy	25-30 %
The placenta is an organ that provides communication between the fetus and the mother, delivering oxygen and nutrition to the developing baby and taking away metabolic products	400-600 g	5 %
Amniotic fluid is a biologically active liquid medium surrounding the fetus.	1-1.5 l by 37 weeks, 800 ml by the time of birth	10 %
The uterus is the female organ in which the development and gestation of the fetus takes place.	1000 by the time of delivery	10 %
Volume of freely circulating blood	1.5 kg	25 %
Tissue or intercellular fluid	1.5-2 kg
Breast (glandular tissue development)	0.5 kg
Fat deposits, which are an energy depot for subsequent breastfeeding after childbirth	3-4 kg	25-30 %
Total	10-15 kg	100%

How to track weight gain?

Of course, weight needs to be controlled. From the first day of confirmed pregnancy, a woman should buy a good scale and keep a notebook or sheet of paper in which she will note her weekly weight gain.

• You need to weigh yourself one day every week;
• In the morning;
• With or without clothes;
• Before meals;
• Empty your bowels and bladder.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

Weight gain occurs unevenly, not only over the weeks, but also with individual characteristics: some gain weight from the moment of conception, while others notice weight gain only from the 20th week.

• With standard flow About 40% of weight gain occurs in the first half, and the remaining 60% in the second half of pregnancy.
• Average body weight gain during the first three months it is 0.2 kg weekly, but it is during this period that many people experience toxicosis, some even go into the red.
• In the first three months the expectant mother gains about 2-3 kg.
• The second trimester is characterized by the improvement of the woman’s general condition and an increase in appetite - it is during this period that the most intense weight gain will occur. A woman gains about 300-400 g per week.
• In the last days weight gain, as a rule, stops, sometimes weight decreases slightly due to hormonal changes associated with preparation for childbirth and due to the removal of excess water.

What indicators determine weight gain?

There is no single standard for weight gain that can be applied to all pregnant women. Optimal weight gain directly depends on the initial weight to an interesting position: the smaller it is, the more it is allowed to gain during pregnancy. So, as a rule, this is what happens - overweight women gain a little and become “visually pregnant” only in the later stages, while thin women find it much more difficult to hide their pregnancy.

• To determine whether you are initially normal, low or overweight, you can calculate your body mass index (BMI), which requires height and weight figures – before pregnancy!
• BMI is equal to the woman's weight (body mass) in kilograms divided by the woman's height in meters squared.
• Example: 50 kg at 160 cm, 50/(1.6*1.6) = 19.5 BMI

Optimal weight gain during pregnancy - BMI decoding

Weekly increase table depending on initial BMI

The norm of weight by week of pregnancy depends on the weight before pregnancy, on the basis of which it is necessary to calculate BMI:

A week	BMI less than 18.5 kg	BMI 18.5-25	BMI over 30
4	0 – 0.9 kg	0 – 0.7 kg	0 – 0.5 kg
6	0 – 1.4 kg	0 – 1 kg	0 – 0.6 kg
8	0 – 1.6 kg	0 – 1.2 kg	0 – 0.7 kg
10	0 – 1.8 kg	0 – 1.3 kg	0 – 0.8 kg
12	0 – 2 kg	0 – 1.5 kg	0 – 1 kg
14	0.5 – 2.7 kg	0.5 – 2 kg	0.5 – 1.2 kg
16	up to 3.6 kg	up to 3 kg	up to 1.4 kg
18	up to 4.6 kg	up to 4 kg	up to 2.3 kg
20	up to 6 kg	up to 5.9 kg	up to 2.9 kg
22	up to 7.2 kg	up to 7 kg	up to 3.4 kg
24	up to 8.6 kg	up to 8.5 kg	up to 3.9 kg
26	up to 10 kg	up to 10 kg	up to 5 kg
28	up to 13 kg	up to 11 kg	up to 5.4 kg
30	up to 14 kg	up to 12 kg	up to 5.9 kg
32	up to 15 kg	up to 13 kg	up to 6.4 kg
34	up to 16 kg	up to 14 kg	up to 7.3 kg
36	up to 17 kg	up to 15 kg	up to 7.9 kg
38	up to 18 kg	up to 16 kg	up to 8.6 kg
40	up to 18 kg	up to 16 kg	up to 9.1 kg

I would like to pay special attention to the issue of nutrition for women who are initially overweight. Pregnancy will certainly not be the easiest period, since your weight will have to be kept under control, but it means that it’s time to fast! Refusal to eat is fraught with disturbances in fetal development and the release of toxins into the bloodstream due to the breakdown of fats. The recommended diet will be determined by the gynecologist!

What are the risks of underweight or overweight during pregnancy?

The optimal thing is a smooth weight gain without visible jumps, which ultimately falls within the recommended values. Both underweight and excess weight threaten the health of the fetus and the expectant mother.

Insufficient weight gain and malnutrition can lead to malnutrition of the newborn and various types of intrauterine growth retardation. Children born weighing less than 2.5 kg are at risk of developing various physical and mental pathologies. Insufficient supply of nutrients to the body of a woman carrying a child leads to hormonal imbalances and increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth. Even an emerging trend towards weight loss or the absence of at least some weight gain should be the reason for an urgent visit to the doctor.

Excess weight should be no less alarming than underweight:

• more than 2 kg per week at any time;
• more than 4 kg in the first 3 months;
• more than 1.5 kg monthly during the second trimester;
• more than 800 g weekly in the third trimester.

An excessive increase can lead to increased blood pressure, the development of diabetes, varicose veins, osteochondrosis, premature aging of the placenta, and complications during childbirth.

The biggest danger of excess weight is hidden or obvious swelling. In this case, the plus on the scale is not associated with overeating, but is a consequence of the fact that the body, or rather the excretory system, cannot cope with the load and fluid begins to accumulate in tissues and organs. Edema threatens the development of late toxicosis, with an increase (see).

You can notice obvious swelling on your own: if after removing your socks there is a mark on your feet, it is difficult to remove jewelry from your finger, your face looks puffy, and urination is rare - you have swelling, you should urgently go to the doctor. Hidden swelling can only be detected by a doctor, so you should not neglect scheduled visits prescribed by the gynecologist, even if you feel excellent.

How not to gain excess weight

Don't overeat

The advice of caring mothers and grandmothers that you can now eat for two is absolutely wrong. The body must receive the proper amount of nutrients, but without overload, both in portions of food and in time. You need to eat little by little, but more often than usual. On average, it is considered normal to increase calorie content by 200-300 calories more than the usual diet, but these figures cannot be followed by everyone without exception, especially women who are obese.

Fight constipation

One of the unfavorable factors affecting weight is the tendency to constipation, since infrequent bowel movements not only increase the weight on the scale, but also negatively affect the general condition of the body, slagging it (see outside of pregnancy). Pregnant women especially often suffer from constipation in the later stages. For obvious reasons, it cannot be used regularly. The best thing:

• At night, eat a portion of fresh white cabbage salad - in the morning you will have a bowel movement
• Eat 2-3 dried apricots or prunes every day; in summer you can have fresh apricots or plums
• If prescribed by a doctor, you can take such a safe and effective prebiotic (osmotic laxative) as Lactulose - Normaze, Portalac syrup, Lactulose Poly, Goodluck, Lactulose Stada, Livoluk-PB, Romphalak. It is approved for use at any stage of pregnancy.

Avoid useless, harmful and quickly digestible carbohydrates

Eliminate candy, baked goods, sweets and confectionery. Nothing contributes more to the addition of unnecessary fat deposits than all kinds of puff pastries, shortbread cookies, with or without filling, buns, rolls, cakes, pastries, ice cream, etc. Give them up completely if you are prone to being overweight and have already gained extra pounds.

In addition, all these products are saturated with food additives (palm, coconut, rapeseed), which load the digestive tract, contribute to the development of obesity, and, according to the results of some scientific studies, even oncology.

Arrange light fasting days

They help not only normalize the emerging tendency to gain excess weight, but also generally give some respite to the body. It is enough to unload once every 2 weeks. A fasting day, again, does not mean fasting! On this day, most of your usual diet should be replaced with vegetables or low-fat cottage cheese, kefir and slightly limit liquid.

Be physically active within reason

Daily walks in the fresh air will not only prevent the formation of excess fat, but will also be beneficial for the baby, since the mother’s blood is saturated with oxygen. You shouldn’t completely give up doing all your homework and usual chores.

How to do the opposite - gain the missing weight

If the weight stubbornly stays the same, there are some recommendations to gain it:

• Eat 5-6 times a day, but without overloading;
• In case of painful toxicosis, you still need to eat, one small piece at a time, waiting out attacks of nausea. You can eat in the fresh air, in bed at night - i.e. in an environment in which manifestations of toxicosis are minimal.
• Carry a healthy snack with you: nuts, biscuits, banana, cheese, dried fruits, yoghurts;
• Eat peanut butter, which is rich in energy and protein (if you are not allergic to it);
• Season dishes with sour cream, olive oil, butter, cream (but not mayonnaise);
• Drink enough fluids, do not neglect dairy and fermented milk products.

How to safely stop weight gain

Naturally, no strict or mono-diets are suitable for pregnant women.

A complete rejection of flour products made from wheat flour and confectionery, fast food, as well as salty, spicy and smoked foods that cause thirst, forcing you to drink excess liquid will help you lose weight or keep it at certain numbers.

• The menu should contain complex carbohydrates (300-350 g daily): whole grain cereals, vegetables and seasonal fruits.
• You cannot limit fish and meat (100-120 g per day), but the menu should include dietary and lean varieties of these products: rabbit, turkey, beef, pike perch, cod, navaga.
• Butter is allowed in a volume of 10 g per day; it is better to replace refined sunflower oil with unrefined one.
• Method of cooking: steaming, boiling, stewing.
• Food should be moderate, for 1 meal - no more than 1-2 dishes.
• You cannot refuse lunch and breakfast, but dinner can be replaced with a dairy product.
• The optimal calorie ratio for meals: breakfast 30%, second breakfast 10%, lunch 40%, afternoon snack and dinner - 10% each.
• It is permissible to drink a glass of water 10-15 minutes before meals.
• Salt is reduced to 5 g per day.
• Habitual desserts should be replaced with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese.
• The last meal should be at 19.00.
• After dinner, a quiet walk is recommended.

As for liquids, preference should be given to clean drinking water. The recommended 1.5 liters should be divided into 3 parts, two of which should be drunk before 16.00, and the rest before 20.00. This system will avoid swelling and give the kidneys relief at night.

Flour products: dietary salt-free, bran, rye bread up to 100-150 g per day.

• Soups: vegetables with a limit of pasta, cereals and potatoes to 200 g daily.
• Meat and meat products: steam dumplings, meatballs, puddings, zrazy, beef troganoff from pre-boiled meat, aspic - up to 150 g per day.
• Fish: steam soufflé, mashed potatoes, stewed fillet up to 150 g per day.
• Milk and dairy products: whole milk 1 glass per day, low-fat cottage cheese 150 g, low-fat yoghurts, yogurt up to 200 g per day.
• Eggs: 1-2 weekly in the form of steamed omelets and soft-boiled.
• Cereals and side dishes: the healthiest ones are oatmeal, buckwheat porridge, and cereals in soups. If the amount of cereal increases, you should limit bread on this day.
• Vegetables: zucchini, cabbage, pumpkin, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, herbs. Preferably fresh or steamed soufflés and purees.
• Snacks: vegetable salads, low-fat ham, jellied fish, meat.
• Sauces: low-fat cottage cheese with herbs, low-fat sour cream, milk sauces.
• Spices: bay leaf, greens, cloves. In limited quantities.
• Fruits and berries: sweet and sour when fresh.
• Beverages: weak tea with 1/3 milk, unsweetened juices mixed with water, natural fruit drinks without sugar.

Most pregnant women look forward to the moment when they have. But along with this, expectant mothers are somewhat alarmed by the change in their own dimensions, because along with the belly, other parts of the body are rounded. And this does not please every woman.

Weight gain during pregnancy is inevitable. Any normal pregnancy should be accompanied by an increase. But she “has no right” to go beyond the established limits, which may be different in each individual case.

What does weight gain depend on?

So, if the pregnancy proceeds well, then as it develops, the woman’s weight will inevitably increase. The amount of fluid in the body increases, the uterus, fetus and placenta grow, the breast prepares for feeding, and small fat reserves are deposited to provide the baby with everything necessary. Naturally, all these gains become noticeable even without weights. However, not all expectant mothers recover in the same way.

The number of kilograms gained during pregnancy depends on many factors. First of all, from the initial weight. The further he falls short of the norm, the faster he will rise upward. The process will go faster if you tend to be overweight, but previously kept your weight down with moderate nutrition and physical activity. Tall women will also score more than short women.

If it is expected, then it is obvious that the placenta will be larger and heavier, and with it the overall weight. The tendency to swelling also affects this indicator: the more fluid is retained in the body, the further the scale needle deviates.

It is noteworthy that weight loss in the early stages due to strong weight loss can later cause its rapid increase: the body seems to be catching up, trying to recover.

In addition, almost all expectant mothers experience an increase in appetite at certain periods, which is associated with an increase in estrogen levels. And if a woman is unable to control it, then overeating also leads to a set of extra, and in this case, unwanted kilograms.

Fluid retention in tissues (which causes swelling) is also reflected by extra numbers on the scales. More prohibited kilograms are formed when. Naturally, the expectant mother will weigh more than if she were pregnant with one child.

We should not forget about age: over the years, the tendency to become overweight and gain extra pounds increases.

Increase rates

Being underweight or overweight during pregnancy can lead to various complications. Thus, too large increases may be accompanied by, which is considered a violation. Excess weight becomes an obstacle during childbirth, complicating the birth of the baby. This is also a large load on the heart and musculoskeletal system of a woman, the risk of developing thrombophlebitis and the occurrence of various pains. And too small increases may be a sign of impaired fetal development.

It is not without reason that doctors monitor a pregnant woman’s weight throughout the entire period and especially in the second half of pregnancy. To assess this indicator, conditional “corridors” have been created into which the expectant mother should normally fit. Of course, these standards are averages and can be adjusted depending on individual characteristics. But in general they can be expressed in the following table:

Norms of weight gain during pregnancy

Week of pregnancy		19,8<ИМТ<26,0

BMI in the table is the body mass index, which is calculated as follows:

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)2.

For example, with a weight of 60 kg and a height of 160 cm, BMI = 60 / 1.62² = 23.44.

Different BMI indicators in the first, second and third columns are characteristic of women of thin, medium and large build, respectively.

As you can see, you should hardly gain weight: the increase is on average 1-2 kg. In the second trimester, weight can increase by 250-300 g every week. Starting from week 30 - 300-400 g per week or 50 g per day. There is also the following formula for calculating the allowed increase in the 3rd trimester: for every 10 cm of height, you can add a maximum of 22 g per week.

However, the rate of weight gain is as individual as the gain itself. Some women begin to plump up already in the first weeks, while others sharply increase in volume in the last months.

Most obstetricians agree that on average you can gain 12-13 kg during pregnancy. If twins are expected, the increase will be 16-21 kg.

Undoubtedly, you should be wary if a woman has not gained a single gram in two weeks or the increase in a week is more than 500 g. You should also consult a doctor if your weight is growing unevenly.

Where do kilograms come from?

We found that “legal” weight gain during the entire pregnancy can average 13 kg. What do these “pregnant” kilograms consist of:

• child - 3000-3500g;
• uterus - 900-1000 g;
• afterbirth - 400-500 g;
• amniotic fluid - 900-1000 g;
• increase in blood volume - 1200-1500 g;
• additional liquid - 1500-2700;
• breast enlargement - 500 g;
• fat deposits - 3000-4000 g.

Total - 11400-14700 g.

As you can see, food for two is not provided here. So this idea can be discarded right away. However, for the development and bearing of a healthy child, reserves are needed, which the mother’s body draws from nutrition. The diet of pregnant women should indeed be a little higher in calories than others, but not by much - only plus 200 calories per day in the first half and plus 300 calories per day in the second half of pregnancy.

If the doctor has come to the conclusion that the pregnant woman’s weight exceeds the permissible norm, you should first try to give up flour, sweets and animal fats. You should not sharply limit your diet, because changes in weight provoke changes. Portions should be reduced gradually, but you should not give up cereals and plant foods. You need to eat often, but little by little. And monitor your fluid intake: 6-8 glasses a day without fail.

It is advisable to weigh yourself every day for control; it is best to do it in the morning on an empty stomach and always in the same clothes to obtain the most reliable data.

Do not rush to be upset if your indicators do not coincide with the above standards, because everything is individual. Focus on how you feel and your doctor’s advice. Remember that after giving birth you will gradually return to your previous shape if you put in a little effort. This process will go faster if you breastfeed your baby. But if you gain excess weight during pregnancy, it will be more difficult to lose those extra pounds.

Please note that malnutrition during pregnancy is much more dangerous than overeating. However, try to keep yourself within limits.

Especially for- Elena Kichak