Articles
Pregnancy weight gain: What's healthy?
When you're carrying twins or other multiples
Working with your health care provider
Content
Pregnancy weight-gain guidelines
When you're pregnant with twins or other multiples
When you're overweight
When you're underweight
When you gain too much
Where does pregnancy weight gain go?
Putting on the pounds
Working with your healthcare professional
Working with your health care provider
Content
Pregnancy weight-gain guidelines
When you're pregnant with twins or other multiples
When you're overweight
When you're underweight
When you gain too much
Where does pregnancy weight gain go?
Putting on the pounds
Working with your healthcare professional
Pregnancy weight-gain guidelines
Healthy weight gain during pregnancy depends on various factors. That includes your body mass index, also called BMI, before you became pregnant. BMI is a measure of body mass that's based on weight and height. In general, a higher BMI number means that a person has more body fat. Other factors that play roles in how much weight to gain include your overall health and your unborn baby's health. Work with your healthcare professional to figure out what's right for you.
You also can think about these general guidelines for pregnancy weight gain:
| Pre-pregnancy weight | Recommended weight gain |
|---|---|
| Source: Institute of Medicine and National Research Council | |
| Underweight (BMI below 18.5) | 28 to 40 lbs. (about 13 to 18 kg) |
| Healthy weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) | 25 to 35 lbs. (about 11 to 16 kg) |
| Overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) | 15 to 25 lbs. (about 7 to 11 kg) |
| Obese (BMI 30 or more) | 11 to 20 lbs. (about 5 to 9 kg) |
