Weight gain during pregnancy is an issue that concerns all expectant mothers. A recent report is now shedding some light on the subject.
5,554 women took part in a study which found that a woman expecting her first child is more likely to gain more weight than those who had a previous pregnancy.
Researchers found that younger women, the less educated and native women tend to gain more weight than is recommended during pregnancy.
For a woman with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 20 before pregnancy, it is recommended that she gain 27.5 to 40 pounds during her pregnancy. If not, she will have a low birth weight baby.
For women with a BMI of 20-27 before pregnancy, the recommended weight gain is 25-35 pounds, but women with a BMI over 27.1 should not gain more than 25 pounds.
55% of overweight women gain too much weight during pregnancy, whereas the rate was 41% among those with a normal weight and 26% among women who are too thin.
On top of that, five to nine months after giving birth, women who gained the most weight are often those who retain the most, an average of ten pounds.