Weight gain during pregnancy is essential, but this is something that needs to adapted to each mom-to-be.
Too little weight gain can increase the risk of your baby being low birth weight at birth and yet too much weight gain can make delivery more difficult and will make it more difficult to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. It is also important to take into account that excessive weight gain increases your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.
The amount of weight gain that should occur is also dependent on your pre-pregnancy body mass index (your weight in proportion to your height). For a singleton pregnancy, if you were a healthy weight pre-pregnancy then your total recommended weight gain should be between 11.5-16kg. If you were underweight it should be between 12.5-18kg and if you were overweight it would be between 7-11.5kg. If you were obese it would be between 5-9kg (please see table below). This weight gain should be slow and steady with increase in weight of only 1-3kg in the first trimester (12 weeks) and an average of about 400g per week thereafter for healthy-weighing moms. This is of course different for moms that are carrying more than one baby.
An important factor is the types of foods and the amount that you are eating during this time as it will affect the health of both you and your baby. An intake high in calorie-dense foods (refined carbohydrates and processed foods) will increase your weight but not provide you or your baby with the nutrients that you both need. People love to say that they are eating for two but although that may be somewhat true, the baby does not require that much more and it certainly doesn’t require an increase in luxury foods. A pregnant lady, who is past her first trimesters, only requires an extra ±260kcal per day, this equates to: a slice of whole-wheat bread with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter or a cup of cereal, half a cup of milk and a small banana.
Table 1: Recommended weight gain during single fetus pregnancy
| Weight class | BMI classification (kg/m2) | Total weight gain (kg) |
| Underweight | <18.5 | 12.5-18 |
| Healthy Weight | 18.5-24.9 | 11.5-16 |
| Overweight | 25-29.9 | 7-11.5 |
| Obese | >30 | 5-9 |
(Institute of Medicine, 2009)
Article written by:
Chloe Dyer B.MedSc. (Hons.) Dietetics (UCT)
Registered Dietitian | 084000689718
083 783 5002
www.chlodyer91.wixsite.com/chloedyerdietetics
Yours in health
Dr Leneque Lindeque (MBChB, FCOG(SA), Mmed (O&G)
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Netcare Alberlito Hospital
Ballito
Tel: (032) 586 0723
