During pregnancy, every woman gains weight. But how much weight does a woman gain on average and what is a healthy weight? This depends on her own BMI: this determines how much weight a woman can gain during pregnancy.

How much weight to gain during pregnancy?

Anyone who is pregnant will gain weight. This is very normal: the baby increases in weight, more amniotic fluid is produced and the woman produces more fatty tissue and retains more fluid. Anyone who does not gain weight during pregnancy has a problem.How much weight a pregnant woman gains on average depends on her BMI, her eating habits during pregnancy, her level of exercise and a singleton or multiple pregnancy. A woman with a normal BMI between 18.5 and 24 should weigh 11 to 16 kilos more at the end of pregnancy . The higher the BMI, the less the woman should gain weight during pregnancy. For a BMI between 25 and 29.9, a woman must gain an average of 7 to 11 kilos during pregnancy. For women who are obese (over 30 BMI), 5 to 9 kilos of weight gain would be sufficient. Underweight women may gain up to 18 kilos. In a twin pregnancy, the woman can gain up to 20 kilos.

Why is gaining weight so important?

It is important that a pregnant woman gains sufficient weight during pregnancy. Too little weight gain increases the risk of having a child with a birth weight that is too low. This chance can increase up to 300%. The risk of premature birth also increases: up to 30%. Smoking and alcohol use can also increase these risks. Women who, in addition to smoking and drinking, also gain too little weight during pregnancy can get into serious problems.Women who lose weight during a first pregnancy weigh less after giving birth than before the pregnancy. These women have a greater risk of premature birthduring a second pregnancy , even if they gain weight normally during the second pregnancy. Children who are born prematurely and have a low birth weight die more often in their first year than ‘normal’ born children. Cot death can, among other things, be a consequence of premature birth or too low birth weight. Brain damage can also occur as a result of too low a sugar level in the blood. An intellectual or physical disability is also one of the risk factors.

Too much weight gain is not good

During pregnancy, the woman will have to be careful not to gain too much weight. Of course, good weight gain is important for the baby’s health, but excess weight also causes problems. Women who were already overweight are more likely to undergo a caesarean section during childbirth. Babies born to overweight mothers are also more likely to die during or after childbirth.Women who gain more than the recommended weight gain are more likely to become obese after a number of years. Moreover, too much weight gain makes it difficult to lose the pounds after giving birth. This can be frustrating for the woman.Pregnant women who are overweight have a greater risk of diabetes or pre-eclampsia. The chance of a miscarriage is also many times greater. In addition, doctors may have difficulty providing medical treatment during pregnancy. Giving an epidural during childbirth can cause problems for overweight women. An epidural is often given during a caesarean section. Because overweight women have a higher chance of having a caesarean section, this can cause greater problems.Heavier mothers are more likely to have heavier babies. Babies are more likely to be overweight. These babies are also more likely to develop heart problems. Overweight women are more likely to have a premature child.

Pay attention to nutrition

Every pound goes through the mouth, a statement that takes the bull by the horns. Women who are underweight would do well to gain more weight during pregnancy. Dairy products are healthy and make you gain weight faster, especially the full-fat variety. Candy and cookies are of course tasty and cause faster weight gain, but they are not healthy for either mother or child.If you gain weight too quickly, you will need to pay attention to your diet. Avoid snacks, cookies and sweets and replace them with fruit, low-fat products and whole grain products. By eating more often and taking smaller meals, a hungry feeling disappears during the day. This prevents people from quickly reaching for a bag of chips and eating them in one go. This also relieves nausea during pregnancy.

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