What should be the weight gain during pregnancy? What weight gain is considered normal for me and my baby? How to eat during this period and why

You can often hear that a pregnant woman needs to eat for two. From a medical point of view, this statement has nothing to do with the truth. Eating for two means quickly gaining weight. And while carrying a baby, extra pounds are an additional burden on the mother’s body and a high risk of complications. We will tell you in this material what normal weight gain should be during different periods of pregnancy.

Why does weight increase during pregnancy?

Weight during pregnancy is a rather individual criterion. In some women, it may decrease in the first and third trimesters if, for example, severe toxicosis is observed. For others, their weight is constantly growing. Initially, the weight of the expectant mother depends on her physique and body weight before pregnancy.

In obese women, the total weight gain during pregnancy can be half as much as the total weight gain in thin, slender girls.

Weight, to one degree or another, constantly increases during pregnancy. However, the body weight of newborn boys and girls is on average the same - from 3000 to 4000 grams. It depends little on how much women have gained during pregnancy- 5 or 15 kilograms. Different increases are an individual trait of expectant mothers.

Body weight growth consists of several components:

• Baby. His weight is about a third of his mother’s entire increase. Typically, babies are born weighing between 2500 and 4000 grams.
• Placenta. On average, about 5% of the total weight of a pregnant woman is allocated to the “children's place”. The placenta usually weighs about half a kilogram - from 400 to 600 grams.
• Amniotic fluid. By the third trimester, the waters in which the baby swims reach a weight of one and a half kilograms. True, closer to childbirth, their number decreases, as well as weight. The mass of amniotic fluid is about ten percent of the total increase.
• Uterus. A woman's main reproductive organ invariably grows so that the baby can fit in it until birth. The weight of the uterus by the end of gestation reaches a whole kilogram, and this is approximately 10% of the total increase.

• Breast. Women's breasts begin to undergo changes from the very first weeks of pregnancy, and by the time of childbirth they most often increase significantly due to the overgrown glandular tissue. It is easier for women to imagine these changes in volume.

But we are talking about weight, and therefore it is worth taking into account that the weight of a grown breast on average is about 600 grams, which is about 2-3% of the total weight gain of the expectant mother.

• Blood volume. In a pregnant woman's body, the volume of freely circulating blood is increased by approximately 2 times compared to non-pregnant women. On average, the mass of blood pumped by the expectant mother’s heart is about one and a half kilograms.
• Cellular and intercellular fluids. Their weight in the body of the expectant mother can approach 2 kilograms. And together with the volume of blood we talked about above, fluids account for about a quarter of all weight gain.
• Fat reserves. The pregnant woman's body begins to take care in advance to store fat as a source of energy for the upcoming birth and postpartum period. About 3-4 kilograms of fat are deposited in the body of the expectant mother, which is about 30% of the total weight gain.

Changes in body weight

The dynamics of pregnancy body weight growth are not the same at different times:

• During the first half of gestation, a woman on average gains about 40% of the total increase.
• During the second half of pregnancy, the increase is about 60% of the total number of kilograms acquired during the entire period of gestation.

In the early stages, the hormone progesterone is responsible for the accumulation of fat. It triggers a lot of processes in the expectant mother’s body aimed at preserving and further developing the embryo. Creating a fat “reserve” is also one of the mechanisms for the preservation and well-being of the fetus.

In the second trimester, the placenta begins to actively grow and develop, the amount of circulating blood increases, which invariably leads to an increase in body weight. Even if in the first trimester there was weight loss due to toxicosis and lack of appetite, in the middle of pregnancy, when the nausea subsides, the woman will be able to gain everything that was not gained in earlier stages.

In the third trimester, the amount of amniotic fluid begins to decrease, but weight continues to gain due to the fact that the child is actively gaining weight. Only in the last two to three weeks does the weight begin to decrease somewhat, since the baby has already gained its weight and the amount of amniotic fluid has reached its minimum. In addition, the pregnant woman's body begins to physiologically prepare for childbirth, at a natural level, freeing oneself from everything unnecessary that could interfere with the birth process.

Increase rates - how to calculate?

Normal weight gain depends on the woman’s weight before pregnancy. For a woman with her own normal weight, an increase of 10 to 15 kilograms over the entire period of gestation is considered correct. If a woman is slightly overweight, her normal weight gain can be considered to be no more than 11 kilograms. In obese women, the weight should increase by no more than 7-8 kilograms over nine months.

A doctor will help you correctly calculate an individual increase, taking into account all the factors that influence the weight of a given expectant mother - her body composition, the presence of multiple pregnancies, etc.

On average, an increase of 200 grams per week is considered the norm during the first trimester. By week 12, a woman’s weight should increase by a maximum of 3-4 kilograms. In the second trimester, when appetite improves and toxicosis, if it existed, recedes, the increase is more intense - up to 400 grams per week. At the very end of pregnancy, the increase is usually no more than 100-150 grams per week.

During the first visit to the obstetrician-gynecologist, when a woman applies for registration, her height and weight will be measured.

If the expectant mother knows her parameters before pregnancy, she must inform the doctor about them.

Based on these two values, the doctor will calculate BMI (body mass index), which will allow you to judge whether weight gain is correct or excessive throughout pregnancy. Body mass index is weight divided by height squared.

For example, a woman weighs 55 kilograms and her height is 1 meter 60 centimeters. The calculations will look like this: 55/ (1.6^2). It turns out that this woman's BMI is approximately 21.5. This corresponds to normal weight, and an increase of 10-13 kilograms in this case will not be considered pathological.

Depending on what the BMI turns out to be, the woman will be given the maximum permissible increase limit:

• A BMI below 18.5 is underweight; such a woman’s weight gain during pregnancy can reach up to 18 kilograms, and this will be quite normal;
• BMI from 18.5 to 25 is normal weight, the increase can be from 10 to 15 kilograms;
• BMI from 25 to 30 – overweight, the gain should not exceed 9-10 kilograms;
• A BMI of 30 and above is obesity, and weight gain above 7 kilograms during the entire gestation period will be considered pathological.

If a woman is carrying not just one baby, but twins or triplets, then the growth rates will be completely different compared to a singleton pregnancy.

Increase rates for the entire period - table:

When calculating the individual norm, different antenatal clinics use different norms for the ratio of real weight to body mass index. We discussed above the most popular rating system. However, in some consultations, doctors use a different system, the international one, according to which a BMI below 19.8 is considered normal weight, above 19.8 to 26 is overweight, and above 26 is considered obese.

The body mass index itself is calculated in exactly the same way as indicated above. Based on the results obtained, you can calculate your individual increase by week and month. Depending on the system by which BMI was calculated, the growth rates may look like this.

Table of increases by week according to different BMI calculations:

Using this table, it will be quite easy for a woman with any body mass index, no matter how it is calculated, to understand how much weight she should gain by week and month.

However, the indicated values ​​are just basic, averaged, demonstrating the rate of weight gain at different body mass indexes of the expectant mother before pregnancy.

The rate of weight gain in each specific case is individual., and only careful observation of its dynamics allows the doctor to judge whether everything is okay with the expectant mother and her baby, and whether there are any pregnancy pathologies.

How to exercise control?

The dynamics of changes in the body weight of the expectant mother are monitored at each scheduled visit to the doctor in the antenatal clinic. And here expectant mothers have a lot of questions related to the fact that weighing in the office shows completely different numbers than home scales.

Women should definitely take into account that at home they are weighed in a minimum amount of clothing, while at the consultation they are dressed and wearing shoes, so an experienced doctor will always make adjustments for the pregnant woman’s outfit.

In addition, weighing, despite the apparent ease of this procedure, requires proper preparation, otherwise the scales in the antenatal clinic will show a weight that exceeds the real one, and quite significantly. Before weighing yourself at home or going to see an obstetrician-gynecologist, a woman must remember the rules of proper weighing:

• It is best to weigh yourself in the morning;
• when weighing at home, measurements should be taken on the same day every week, so the dynamics will be more obvious;
• It is advisable to take measurements on an empty stomach;
• home weighing is carried out in a minimum amount of clothing, naked is possible;
• Before weighing, you should definitely go to the toilet and rid your bladder of urine and your intestines of accumulated feces.

If the data on the scales at the antenatal clinic differs by more than a kilogram from home measurements, the woman must have a calendar in which she will indicate her gain, measured according to all the rules at home.

You can take the calendar with you to your appointment and show it to the doctor. In the pregnant woman’s medical record, the doctor draws a graph of weight gain at each appointment. A woman exactly like this can draw on her own at home, this will help to notice in time the periods when the expectant mother begins to gain excess weight, the periods when the weight stops or begins to fall. An uneven schedule is always an alarming sign that should definitely be discussed with your doctor.

A strong and sharp increase may indicate the onset of gestosis, the appearance of internal edema that is not visible upon external examination. If the weight grows slowly and changes little not only by week, but also by month, this may indicate various pathologies in the development of the child, the placenta, a decrease in the amount of amniotic fluid and other unpleasant processes.

What are the dangers of rapid weight gain?

As we have already found out, the norms are individual, but the rate of weight gain is of great importance. Even if a woman has a weight during weighing that fits into the normal range according to the table, but just a week ago the weight was significantly lower, then such an increase, although quite adequate, is unlikely to please the doctor.

It is important that the body weight of the expectant mother increases gradually, smoothly, at intervals acceptable at different periods.

Women tend to underestimate such a criterion as their own weight during pregnancy. On numerous forums for expectant mothers, women often say that the doctor is “terrorizing” them by forcing them to lose weight, and unanimously “competently” advise each other to “not pay attention to it.”

Excess weight during the period of bearing a child is considered to be such an increase in which:

• in a week the woman gained more than 2 kilograms (at any stage of gestation);
• during the first trimester, the expectant mother “gained weight” by 4 kilograms or more;
• if in the second trimester a woman gains more than one and a half kilograms every month;
• if in the third trimester the increase per week exceeds 800 grams.

Excess weight is a very real risk of developing late toxicosis. Swelling can be external, which a woman can easily see herself by the characteristic marks from the elastic bands of socks, or by the inability to put on or remove a wedding ring. Swelling usually occurs in the wrists, face and ankles. But even if there are no visible edemas, this does not mean that there are no internal edemas, which are much more dangerous and insidious.

Normal blood flow in the mother-placenta-fetus system is disrupted due to edema and changes in blood pressure. As a result The baby receives less nutrients and oxygen necessary for its proper development.

Excess kilograms and active weight gain beyond the norm are also dangerous for the risk of premature birth before the 30th week, as well as post-term pregnancy after the 39th week.

Excessive increase in 30% of cases leads to early aging of the placenta, which means that the baby will not receive a large amount of nutrients in the last weeks of pregnancy, which are very important for him in preparation for the upcoming birth.

Extra pounds often lead to the appearance of hemorrhoids, varicose veins, as well as weakness of labor forces during childbirth, as a result of which doctors have to perform an unscheduled emergency cesarean section to save the child’s life.

Why is underweight dangerous?

Lack of body weight during pregnancy leads to various forms of fetal malnutrition. The baby does not receive enough of the substances and vitamins he needs. In 80% of cases in women with too little increase, children are born weaker, with low body weight, severe malnutrition (insufficient amount of subcutaneous fat). Such children have a harder time adapting to the environment, and thermoregulation processes are more difficult for them.

Intrauterine growth retardation increases the risk of congenital neurological diseases, as well as hormonal disorders, the consequences of which can affect any system and any organ in the baby’s body.

Sometimes a small increase or lack of increase is due to the fact that a woman is literally starving and does not have enough to eat. This happens not only in socially disadvantaged families, but also in expectant mothers with a complete lack of appetite due to pregnancy toxicosis. This leads to a deficiency in estrogen levels, and the likelihood of early miscarriage, termination of pregnancy and premature birth in the middle and end of gestation increases tenfold.

Weight gain of less than 800 grams in the first trimester, less than 5 kilograms in the second and less than 7 kilograms in the third trimester, closer to the 36th week of pregnancy, is considered insufficient.

What to do if you are overweight?

If weight is gained too sharply, intermittently, intermediate weighings show that the gain is pathological, the woman is prescribed a hormone test, because in addition to overeating, the reason for such “behavior” of body weight may also lie in hormonal imbalance.

If this version is confirmed, then the woman is hormonal therapy, as a result of which hormonal levels are restored and problems with intense weight gain are solved.

If the reason is overeating and little physical activity (and many pregnant women, alas, are sure that they need to eat for two, and that it is harmful to overload themselves with walking and swimming), then a universal diet for pregnant women is recommended.

The expectant mother should eat 5-6 times a day, every 3-4 hours, with the exception of the time allotted for night sleep.

Single servings should be reduced to such a volume that the amount of food can visually fit in the woman’s palm if she folds it in a boat.

After 28-29 weeks, fasting days are allowed. Once a week, a pregnant woman is allowed to take half a kilo of low-fat cottage cheese or 400 grams of boiled buckwheat, or a liter of fermented milk products, 5-6 times. Sugar and salt are completely prohibited on fasting days.

Depending on how intense the weight gain is, the woman is set the number of calories that can be gained per day. Most often it is 2200-2500 Kcal. Diet food websites have counters that allow you to quickly find out the number of calories in both individual foods and ready-made meals. This will help you easily calculate the menu for the week, month and every day.

The last meal should be taken no later than 2-3 hours before going to bed. All dishes are prepared without frying, deep-frying, or a lot of spices. They also monitor the drinking regime - a woman should drink from 1.5 to 2 liters of clean water per day.

Allowed foods and dishes are cabbage, zucchini, porridge, apricots, watermelon, apples, buckwheat, oatmeal, rice, milk, beef, veal, turkey, chicken, rabbit, cottage cheese without a high fat content.

Prohibited foods - chocolate, baked goods, fatty pork, smoked sausages and fish, everything fried, salted, pickled, peas, beans, semolina, barley, fast food, ice cream, condensed milk, grapes, bananas, canned food (meat and fish) ).

The amount of salt is reduced to 5 grams per day. It is better to give up sugar altogether and replace it with slow carbohydrates (sweet fruits and cereals). Carbonated drinks, syrups, and beer are not allowed.

Special gymnastic exercises, walks in the fresh air, swimming, and yoga come to the aid of pregnant women who are trying to take control of their weight and reduce it. If there are no contraindications, The doctor will definitely advise you to increase physical activity. This will help, together with nutritional correction, to bring the increase to acceptable standards.

Actions in case of insufficient increase

If a woman is underweight or underweight, the doctor will also be required to give a referral for examination by a gastroenterologist and endocrinologist. If a woman does not have gastrointestinal diseases or hormonal problems, she will also undergo nutritional correction.

The calorie content of her daily diet should exceed 2500 – 3000 Kcal. The diet must include butter and vegetable oil, pearl barley and semolina, peas and beans, baked goods, fatty fish and meats.

The ban, as with excess weight, applies to smoked, pickled and fried foods. The rest of the approach to the diet is the same. Preferably split meals, with a normal volume of portions, make sure that the content of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in her diet is sufficient. In addition to correcting nutrition, the doctor prescribes vitamin complexes so that the baby can receive the necessary nutrients from the mother’s blood.

If a woman has severe toxicosis, in which literally “a piece does not fit into the throat,” the woman will have to adapt to this unpleasant state and force herself to eat at least in small portions between attacks of toxicosis.

You should choose moments for this when nausea is unlikely to occur.

Many expectant mothers with painful toxicosis eat in bed at night or try to eat only in the fresh air.

If, along with insufficient weight gain, fetal growth retardation is diagnosed, the woman will have to undergo treatment in a hospital setting, where she will be injected and dripped with the necessary drugs that improve uteroplacental blood flow, vitamins, and will also be given all the recommendations for organizing a high-calorie diet.

Usually, after such measures, the body weight of the expectant mother increases, and, although the average increase is at the lower limit of the norm, it still fits into it. Such a pregnant woman may be advised to have more frequent ultrasound scans to monitor the development of the placenta and baby, as well as to conduct a preliminary analysis of its estimated body weight.

An obstetrician-gynecologist will tell you about important facts about weight during pregnancy in the next video.

Currently, the norm is considered to be a weight gain of 11 to 15 kg. Where you end up in this range depends on two factors: your body type and what your weight was before pregnancy: overweight, underweight, or close to ideal. Tall and thin women (asthenic type) usually gain less weight than short and plump women (picnic type), and women of average build fall approximately in the middle of the 11 - 15 kg range.

Every pregnant woman needs fat reserves—think of it as “baby fat”—to ensure a constant supply of energy to her baby in the event she goes undernourished for days. This same fat reserve will provide her with the calories she needs to produce milk after the baby is born. If at the beginning of pregnancy some reserve has already been accumulated, you do not need to significantly increase it. If you were too thin before pregnancy, a few extra pounds are a must.

Maternal and fetal weight tables usually provide acceptable limits and average values. If your weight does not match what is indicated in the table every month, this does not mean that the pregnancy is developing abnormally. Here are some tips to help you evaluate your weight gain.

• o If at the beginning of pregnancy your weight is close to ideal, then normal weight gain should be from 11 to 15 kg.
• If at the beginning of pregnancy your weight is slightly more than ideal, then normal weight gain should be from 9 to 11 kg; if you are obese, then the increase should be less than 9 kg.
• If at the beginning of pregnancy your weight is less than ideal, then a normal weight gain for you will be from 13.5 to 18 kg.

What's more important is how you feel, not what the scale shows. If you feel good, look healthy, and your baby is developing normally, then you are gaining the weight you need. If you eat right, then you don't need to worry about your weight. The only reason for monthly monitoring is to identify possible abnormalities (for example, toxicosis) that lead to sudden weight gain. Experienced doctors know that weight gain during pregnancy is highly individual and that it depends on the characteristics of the chemical processes of a particular organism. A woman who adheres to the principles of a rational diet can gain a little more than the “allowed” 15 kg, but quickly lose it after childbirth. Another expectant mother who pays less attention to her diet may experience less weight gain, but she will be slower to shed the extra pounds.

The approximate rate of weight gain for a woman of average build with close to ideal weight at the beginning of pregnancy can be determined as follows:

• 1.8 kg in the first trimester. Add 0.5 kg if you are underweight at the beginning of pregnancy and subtract 0.5 kg if you are overweight at the beginning.
• 400 g per week after the first trimester. Add 100g if you are underweight at the start of pregnancy and subtract 100g if you are overweight at the start.
• In the last month, it is considered normal for weight gain to slow down - despite the fact that the child is growing rapidly. Some women have gained from 0.5 to 1 kg over the past month, others' weight remains unchanged, and some even lose weight. This is all normal.

For most women, the main weight gain occurs in the second trimester, which coincides with the most intense weight gain of the child (its weight increases by thirty-two times). Most pregnant women quickly gain 2 to 5 kg between the fifteenth and twentieth weeks due to the accelerated increase in blood volume needed to nourish the expanding uterus and the fetus inside it. And again, everything here is determined by the individual characteristics of metabolic processes (or by the fact that the expectant mother did not limit herself to anything on weekends or during vacation). Usually such a jump happens once, and then everything goes as usual again. Most babies gain 90 percent of their weight after the fifth month, and 50 percent during the last two months.

Some women gain 3.5-4.5 kg during the first weeks of pregnancy due to fluid retention in the body, while others lose weight due to constant nausea and loss of appetite. Most women of normal weight don't need to worry about gaining or losing a few pounds in the first trimester. However, women who are too thin should avoid losing weight in the first three months of pregnancy.

Sears W. and M. Waiting for the baby. Eksmo, 2009

In the twenty-first week of pregnancy, a woman is probably accustomed to the baby’s kicks. Although there are still a little more than four months left until the birth of the child, the expectant mother is already feeling all the “charms” of her position: a big belly, change, possible digestive problems. But these inconveniences are more than compensated by the exciting anticipation of the baby, pleasant thoughts and conversations about him, and the support of relatives.

Weight gain

During the 21st week of pregnancy, the expectant mother can gain 350-550 g, and the total weight gain during the period from the moment she begins expecting a child usually ranges from 4.5 to 6.5 kg. The above figures are averages.

information During this period of pregnancy, a woman usually has an excellent appetite. To prevent excessive weight gain, it is advisable to control the consumption of sweet and starchy foods. It is better to take food in small portions to reduce the load on the digestive tract.

Belly size

The belly of the expectant mother at 21 weeks looks very impressive, although in the near future it will increase even more.

The uterus also continues to grow; its center at this time is located 1 cm above the level of the navel. Due to the adaptation of the abdominal muscles and tissues to the changing size of the fetus, a woman may sometimes feel mild pain or discomfort in this part of the body. But if pain lasts longer, it is better to consult a doctor.

Fetal size and development

The growth of the fetus at week 21 is about 18 cm (from the crown of the head to the buttocks), or 25-26 cm (the length of the entire body - from the crown to the heels), and the body weight reaches 300 grams or more.

At this time, new changes occur in the baby’s body in the appearance and functioning of internal organs:

• the digestive tract begins to produce hydrochloric acid and some enzymes;
• the baby's taste preferences are being formed, so the expectant mother should pay special attention to the composition of products;
• the process of building up bone and muscle tissue continues;
• the spleen begins to function.

information To make mothers feel calmer, you can gently stroke your belly in the evening: the baby will feel the gentle touch of your hands and will make fewer movements.

Physiological changes

At week 21, a woman’s center of gravity shifts slightly, as a result of which her gait changes. To prevent back pain or reduce its intensity, you need to rest regularly and change your body position as often as possible.

At this stage, the woman looks simply beautiful: stately posture, full breasts, rounded tummy, sparkling eyes and hair. The skin becomes clear even for those representatives of the fair sex who previously suffered from. Improvement in appearance is associated with the action of various hormones and the body’s preparation for motherhood.

Analyzes

As a rule, no scheduled examinations are carried out at week 21; all tests have already been completed by this time.

important If you experience any unusual symptoms, you can seek qualified medical advice on your own.

Nutrition

No special changes should be made to the diet at week 21, but it is recommended to consume sufficient amounts of calcium-containing foods daily (,). If the intake of this important microelement into the body is low, a woman may experience problems with teeth, bone tissue and hair, as the child will begin to “extract” building material to form his skeleton on his own.

At 21 weeks of pregnancy, pay attention to the following:

• It's best not to take long walks alone, and in the company of other people, since a pregnant woman may sometimes feel worse, even to the point of fainting due to the heat outside or stuffiness in the room.
• It is better to give preference to swimming in the pool, walking, and gentle stretching exercises., but first you need to consult your doctor.
• The calorie content of a woman's daily diet in mid-pregnancy should be only 550 kcal higher than the “pre-pregnancy” norm. The saying that it is advisable for an expectant mother to eat for two is not relevant and even harmful in modern conditions.
• When forced to bend or squat, it is necessary to perform these movements in such a way as not to compress the stomach (i.e. bend down, lean to the side, kneel on one knee, etc.). But prolonged loads in a bent position are contraindicated.

Not all expectant mothers understand how important it is to respect reasonable boundaries when it comes to nutrition. Some people worry about their figure, which will be difficult to get into shape after childbirth, and begin to limit themselves in everything, while others think that now they literally need to eat “for two” and lean heavily on their favorite foods.

In fact, any deviations from the norm can equally pose a danger to the health of the woman herself and her baby. What do you need to know about changes in body weight during pregnancy, and how to correctly calculate optimal weight gain?

What are the dangers of being underweight or overweight during pregnancy?

The average weight gain during pregnancy is from 9 to 14 kg. Of course, this value cannot be applied to each specific case, since the exact figure depends on many factors, but a sharp deviation from it in one direction or the other should alert the expectant mother.

• Underweight often occurs in pregnant women in the first months, that is, during the period when they suffer from toxicosis. If the loss is not accompanied by severe vomiting (after every meal), the baby is most likely out of danger.

Low weight carries the greatest risk in the second and third trimesters, when the fetus is in great need of nutrients and their lack can lead to a lack of body weight in the newborn, various developmental pathologies and psychological problems. In this case, the woman’s level of important hormones may drop, which can lead to miscarriage or premature birth.

• Excess weight is also not only an aesthetic problem for pregnancy, since the entire burden falls on the health of the mother. Often it provokes the development of gestosis - a dangerous condition called late toxicosis. Preeclampsia poses a direct threat to the child’s health, as it can cause other troubles. Read more about gestosis

Excess weight is even more dangerous when it occurs not due to overeating, but due to edema- usually in such cases the increase occurs in a short period of time (more than a kilogram per week). This may be the first symptom of dropsy - excess accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the body, the main cause of which is a disorder of the kidneys.

It is categorically not recommended to solve such problems on your own, therefore, if a pregnant woman experiences a sharp increase in body weight, she should immediately consult a doctor.

And in order to notice a threatening condition in time and take action, the expectant mother must know what the optimal weight gain during pregnancy should be in her case.

Why do pregnant women gain weight?

Contrary to popular belief, pregnant women gain excess weight not only due to the weight of the growing baby and the fat layer - they make up about half of the total figure. Over the course of nine months, a woman’s uterus, blood volume and intercellular fluid increase, amniotic fluid and placenta are formed, and the mammary glands begin to actively grow.

These changes are necessary for the proper growth and development of the baby, that is, they should be monitored not only by the gynecologist, but also by the woman herself.

What determines weight gain during pregnancy?

To calculate the acceptable weight gain for a woman, her initial weight should be taken into account, that is, BMI (body mass index), which is calculated using a special formula: body weight in kilograms/height in meters squared. The resulting result allows you to evaluate how close a woman’s weight is to normal: if the figure falls in the range of 19.8-26, the weight is normal, less than 19 is insufficient, more than 26 is excessive, and a BMI above 30 indicates obesity.

• Thin, fragile women (the so-called asthenic type) should gain 13-18 kg during pregnancy;
• For women with a normal build and weight, the permissible increase is 11-16 kg;
• Obese and overweight ladies normally gain from 7 to 11 kg;
• In case of obesity, the doctor prescribes a special diet for the expectant mother, and her weight gain should not exceed 6 kg.

In addition, it is very important to take into account the gestational age of the fetus by week, since during each week certain changes occur in the body of the woman and the fetus that affect the overall weight.

Weight by week of pregnancy

Weight gain during pregnancy occurs unevenly over the weeks - at the very beginning it is almost unnoticeable, increases significantly in the middle and decreases again closer to childbirth.

The second trimester, when the baby begins to grow and develop especially actively, a woman should be especially careful, as weight gain takes on its initial significance. The numbers are distributed as follows: about 500 g per week for thin women, no more than 450 g for pregnant women of normal weight, and no more than 300 g for overweight women.

In the third trimester, pregnant women gain less weight, and this process is natural, as their body prepares for the birth of the baby.

It is very important to ensure that body weight does not decrease too sharply, as this may indicate pathologies in the development of pregnancy.

What are the dangers of slow weight gain?

Slow weight gain is a relative concept for pregnant women, since in the first trimester it may not only not gain, but also decrease.

Some expectant mothers gain the first kilograms only after the 14th week - this usually concerns petite women who do not have a genetic predisposition to be overweight or women suffering from toxicosis. In the first case, weight gains slowly throughout the entire nine months, which should not cause concern if the pregnant woman is feeling normal. If we talk about women suffering from toxicosis, then by the second trimester the malaise usually disappears, body weight returns to normal and weight gain takes its course.

If a pregnant woman fasts, follows a strict diet, or simply eats poorly, then her risk of miscarriage or premature birth increases significantly.

In such a situation, a woman needs to give up restrictions and bring her diet back to normal. You need to eat small portions several times a day, between meals, snack on cheese, nuts or dried fruits, and you can add a little butter or sour cream to your food.

Read about nutrition rules during pregnancy

What are the dangers of rapid weight gain?

Rapid weight gain is typical for multiple pregnancies, women with underweight and too young mothers whose bodies are still developing.

In other cases, it is the result of normal overeating and requires adjustments to the diet. Excess weight does not pose a direct threat to the life of a child, but it can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia and excess body weight in the baby, which can lead to complications during childbirth and even cesarean section.

If weight gains too quickly, a woman is advised to consult a nutritionist and give up quickly digestible carbohydrates (sweets, baked goods, pasta) and include fruits, vegetables, cereals and dairy products in her menu.

The situation is much more dangerous if excess weight is a consequence of edema. In order to identify the problem in time and receive medical help, the expectant mother should have a table of weight gain during pregnancy and accurate scales at hand - an increase of more than 1 kg per week is a serious cause for concern.

Read about how to avoid gaining excess weight during pregnancy.

Is weight loss during pregnancy dangerous?

In the first trimester of pregnancy, weight loss is quite possible due to toxicosis, in the second this situation is usually associated with various diseases and stress, and in the third trimester, a loss of 1-2 kg is a harbinger of an early birth.

In any case, weight gain during pregnancy is a purely individual matter, so it is very important for the expectant mother to monitor her well-being and the quality of food she eats.

If weight goes away quickly and sharply (especially in the first and second trimester), you should immediately inform your doctor about this, as this can be a serious threat to the health and even the life of the baby.

Diet during pregnancy

Diets, strict nutrition systems and fasting days (especially the so-called “hungry days”) during the period of bearing a child are strictly prohibited, even if the pregnant woman is overweight.

It is very important to ensure that the baby receives all the nutrients, vitamins and microelements, so the expectant mother should not starve - she just needs to balance her diet accordingly, and if necessary, get advice from a specialist.

Norms of weight gain and fetal growth

Increases in height and weight of a child are no less important parameters than the body weight of the expectant mother. They begin to measure it from about the 8th week, since it is simply impossible to do this earlier.

The baby's body weight and height increase unevenly - at first the fetus grows rapidly, and starting from the 14-15th week the process slows down slightly. This is due to the fact that the child’s main task during this period is to develop new skills (blinking, moving his arms, etc.), and not to gain weight and height. At the beginning of the third trimester, the baby's weight gain accelerates again, and by the date of birth his body weight reaches 2.5 to 3.5 kg.

The weight and height of a child are individual parameters and depend on many factors, primarily gender and genetic predisposition, but there are average figures that are considered to be the norm.

In addition, an ultrasound examination necessarily measures such indicators as:

• BPR - biparietal head size (the distance between the outer surface of the lower contour and the inner surface of the lower);
• DB - thigh length;
• AB - abdominal circumference;
• DHA - chest diameter.

These indicators should increase in proportion to the duration of pregnancy, and together with height and weight, they are very important parameters that can tell about the presence or absence of any pathologies.

Any lag or advance is a reason for consultation with a doctor, but in no case a reason for panic, because every little person is an individual who may have his own characteristics.