Weight gain during pregnancy is a concern for all expectant mothers. A recent report sheds some light on the subject.
The study found that women expecting their first child are likely to gain more weight than those who have already had children.
Of the 5,554 participants, researchers discovered that younger women, the less educated, and native women tended to gain more weight than is recommended during pregnancy.
Guidelines recommend that a woman with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 20 before pregnancy, gain 27.5 to 40 pounds during her pregnancy. If not, she will have a low birth weight baby.
Women with a BMI of 20-27 before pregnancy, are encouraged to gain 25-35 pounds, while women with a BMI over 27.1 should not gain more than 25 pounds.
The study concluded that 55 percent of overweight women gain too much weight during pregnancy, while the rate was 41 percent for those in a normal weight range, and 26 percent among women who are too thin.
Five to nine months after giving birth, women who gained the most weight often retain the most – an average of ten pounds.