Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Q & A

Putting on a few extra pounds during pregnancy has been thought to be a normal and healthy part of the gestational process. But what happens when a woman gains too much weight, or too little? According to data published this month in Obstetrics & Gynecology, babies of women who gain more than the upper limit of Institute of Medicine (IOM)-recommended guidelines during their pregnancy may be subject to a myriad of adverse conditions immediately following birth.

Translated, this means that a woman at a normal weight based on body mass index (BMI) standards has a cutoff of gaining up to 35 pounds, or she can be at risk for adverse neonatal outcomes. Normal-weight women who gain less than 15 pounds are also found to be at risk.

via: The University of California
via: Research "Gestational Weight Gain and Adverse Neonatal Outcome Among Term Infants"