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How to get better during pregnancy week by week. How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? Normal weight gain

27.05.2021

Rapid accumulation nutrients and fluids, as well as the growth of the fetus itself, of course, leads to a set weight during pregnancy.

How are the gained kilograms distributed?

For 9 months of pregnancy, a woman gains on average from 6 to 18 kg. The weight of a newborn baby is approximately from 2 to 4 kg.

The remaining kilograms go to increase the amount of blood and amniotic fluid, the growth of the placenta, the enlargement of the uterus, breasts and the accumulation of substances useful for the baby.

Of the kilograms gained during pregnancy 3.5 is the weight of the fetus, up to 1 kg - the mass of amniotic fluid, about 0.7 kg - weight of the placenta and 1.3 kg is the mass of additional blood, part of which is consumed during childbirth.

Therefore, in the process of having a baby a woman loses about 6.5 kg, other kilograms are already lost during breastfeeding.

During pregnancy the mass of the mammary glands increases by approximately 0.4 kg, weight of the uterus - per 1 kg, weight of extracellular fluid - from 1.5 to 4.5 kg, weight or nutrients in the form body fat women with normal body weight increases only slightly 3.5 kg.

In this way, body weight gain occurs mainly due to the growth of tissues that contribute to the bearing of a healthy baby and a successful outcome of childbirth.

That is why a healthy woman, during pregnancy, keeping her true weight within the normal range, just a few weeks after birth, easily returns to her shape and returns to her previous weight.

Do I need to control weight?

On how many extra pounds you gain future mom during the period prenatal development her baby, her health and the health of the baby, as well as a successful outcome, directly depend.

That's why weight control must be carried out from the very first weeks of pregnancy until the very birth.

Normal weight gain for a pregnant woman with normal body weight in the first trimester should be around 300 g per month, at 4-5 months pregnancy - 400 g, at 6-8 months- near 500 g monthly and only last month pregnancy, an increase is allowed within 600 g due to the accelerated growth of the fluid level in preparation for childbirth.

Women with low body weight during pregnancy, they may slightly “get fat”, which occurs due to the replenishment of nutrient reserves in the form of deposits of adipose tissue. Therefore, for slender women, the rate of monthly weight gain may be slightly overestimated.

Complete women, on the contrary, during pregnancy they should gain less additional ones, spending their own reserves of nutrients on the baby's nutrition.

Favorable birth outcome more likely in women with normal weight, therefore, reducing the true weight of her body during pregnancy, a full woman gets additional chances to give birth to a healthy baby on her own and without complications.

If weight is added quickly

The body weight of a pregnant woman begins to increase almost from the very fertilization of the egg.

A sharply rising level of progesterone stimulates the growth of the uterus, enlargement of the mammary glands, the development of adipose tissue, in general, stimulates the development of tissues involved in the growth and development of the fetus, and also begins active preparation for childbirth.

If there is little weight gain during pregnancy- this indicates the normal development of pregnancy.

Fast and big weight gain during pregnancy may indicate multiple various violations in the work of the mother's body, which may well lead to unpleasant consequences for the child.

That is why it is so important to try not to exceed normal performance additions, which will greatly simplify the process of diagnosing possible violations.

Each organism is unique, and therefore Every pregnant woman gains weight differently.. Some observe not an increase, but, on the contrary, a decrease in weight, and with a completely normal diet. Others, on the contrary, gain weight rapidly, starting from the very first weeks of pregnancy.

Individual indicators of body weight gain may vary, however, with good analyzes and normal health is not so important.

Pregnancy diet should be varied, therefore, it is not worth completely excluding from the menu any individual products that supposedly contribute to weight gain, even if they exceed normal values.

The main rule is not to overeat, eat a variety of healthy foods and only limit the consumption of certain foods, and not exclude them from the diet.

At overweight and rapid recruitment, it is recommended to limit oneself in the amount of food eaten, and not in its quality, and restrictions should be introduced gradually.

Expectant mother in any case it does not follow"eat for two", go on diets or starve.

Frequent consumption of a variety of foods in small portions, sufficient fluid intake and moderate physical exercise during pregnancy - the main components of a normal lifestyle, the health of the expectant mother and her child.

If the weight is reduced

Normally, the body weight of a pregnant woman is constantly growing, and the gains are within acceptable limits. However, this is only ideal.

Most often, weight is gained unevenly, jumps, and in some pregnant women it may even decrease. Is it normal?

A woman should strive for an “ideal” weight specifically for her, however, it is impossible to follow a strict diet, eat clearly according to the regimen, and eat a portion determined up to a gram in practice.

In addition, there are holidays, vacations and many other events that disrupt the measured course of pregnancy. Therefore, it is almost impossible to keep weight throughout pregnancy, to avoid spasmodic weight gain or weight loss.

Stable weight loss in any period of pregnancy can occur due to the burning of one's own fat deposits, that is, involuntary weight loss. For many women, this is also the norm, since the body itself prepares for childbirth and gets rid of everything unnecessary.

May lose weight by summer with the transition to fresh vegetables, berries and fruits, since from them the body receives only healthy carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which are perfectly absorbed and not deposited in the body in the form of body fat.

Last month of pregnancy Also, many people experience weight loss instead of gain. This also cannot be called abnormal, since the body tunes in to the upcoming work, stores energy and tries to reduce its consumption for the functioning of organs and tissues that are not involved in childbirth.

In some cases, weight loss during pregnancy may be an indicator of any abnormalities. That's why weight control must be carried out in agreement with the attending physician.

An increase in the amount of the subcutaneous fat layer of the expectant mother is an essential condition for the successful and full development of the baby throughout the entire embryonic period. Typically, younger pregnant women gain less weight than older women. But bearing, for example, twins or even triplets will significantly increase the weight of mothers of any age period. In each of these cases, a pregnant woman in one way or another observes changes in her body weight, which is not always the norm.

To determine the weight indicators of a pregnant woman, you need to get used to properly organized weighing:

  • It is recommended to measure body weight once a week, you should try to get to the same time period before breakfast, which increases the accuracy of further calculations and dynamic evaluation of the results.
  • Weighing is done after emptying Bladder and large intestine.
  • The same scales are used.
  • Each time, it is best for a woman to weigh herself in clothes specially allocated for this (with the subsequent deduction of her weight) or without it at all.
  • To facilitate calculations and track the level of body weight, it is better to record the results in a special notebook.

The above tips are appropriate only if a pregnant woman is weighed at home with her own scales. But in case the mother-to-be passes this procedure only at the appointment with the leading obstetrician-gynecologist, it is worth visiting it at approximately the same hours, and immediately before getting up on the scales, empty the bladder again.


Body mass index table

When evaluating the results of the obtained body weight values, all specialists and trained pregnant women use body mass index calculation. This technique allows not only to simplify all calculations, but also to identify overweight or underweight with the same ease. To calculate the body mass index, special calculators have been created. They include the following values:

  • weight before pregnancy (in kg);
  • height (in cm);
  • the presence or absence of twins;
  • date of the beginning of the last menstruation;
  • weight at a given weighing (in kg).

In this way, the increase in body weight produced for a certain period of time from the beginning of pregnancy is calculated.

In the case we are considering, weight consists not only of the mass of all organs and biological fluids of a person, but also body fat stores. In addition to the usual formation of a certain amount of subcutaneous fatty tissue, in the body of the expectant mother, growth of a new organism, which has a constantly increasing from week to week of its intrauterine development.

Do not forget that in order to ensure the normal development of the fetus the uterus grows in size, there is the formation of female milk in the mammary glands, the placenta is born and grows, constantly present amniotic fluid, membranes of the fetus and the umbilical cord, which also contributes to the level of body weight.

Factors affecting weight gain during pregnancy

  • The body weight during gestation is affected by the presence and severity, because with it there is an active loss of fluid through frequent vomiting, which leads to dehydration and weight loss.
  • Such pathological variants of the course of pregnancy, as well as the presence of a pronounced edematous syndrome, contribute to weight gain.
  • gestation two or even three fruits at the same time provides a more pronounced increase in body weight than with a singleton pregnancy.
  • , the mode and amount of fluid absorbed during pregnancy has a strong effect on the metabolism of a woman, which indicates a direct influence of these factors on the formation of a fatty layer, the growth of the placenta, uterus, the fetus itself and the formation of milk.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

The rate of weight gain during pregnancy by week

How much weight gain during pregnancy? In women who have the usual normal physique and the correct build, the increase in body weight for the entire period of bearing a baby, according to the obtained dynamic data for assessing the mass index, including the child, should be 10-15 kg. For cases with reduced weight, the level of increase from 12 to 18 kg is considered normal, with obesity of the 1st degree - from 6 to 10 kg, with obesity of the 2nd degree - from 4 to 9 kg.

If a woman is waiting big addition to the family, then the scale of the norm of weight gain during pregnancy is slightly different from the scale indicated above. For normal weight body weight gains range from 15 to 25 kg, for obesity of the 1st degree - from 14 to 24 kg, for obesity of the 2nd degree - from 10 to 19 kg.

Thus, the thinner the pregnant woman, the more weight she can gain when carrying a baby. On the contrary, ladies with an excess of weight are prone to smaller gains.

Weekly weight gain during pregnancy: table

Weekly weight gain chart during pregnancy

For the convenience of evaluating the results and analyzing the weight gain of a pregnant woman, experts developed indicators weekly weight gain during pregnancy.

They are still dependent on the type of constitution of the mother and her personal body mass index, but most importantly, they reflect in detail the weight gain for each stage of pregnancy. This greatly facilitates not only the work of leading obstetricians and gynecologists, but also the understanding of their pregnancy by the expectant mother herself.

The change in the weight of a pregnant woman in any of the cases depends on the characteristics of her metabolism, the nature of nutrition and the needs of the fetus, which only confirms the individuality of these weight parameters.

For women of normal body weight:

1-17 weeks - an increase of 2.35 kg;
17-23 weeks - an increase of 1.55 kg;
23-27 weeks - an increase of 1.95 kg;
27-31 weeks - an increase of 2.11 kg
31-35 weeks - an increase of 2.11 kg;
35-40 weeks - an increase of 1.25 kg;
for the entire period - an increase of 11-15 kg.

For women with grade 1 obesity:

1-17 weeks - an increase of 2.25 kg;
17-23 weeks - an increase of 1.23 kg;
23-27 weeks - an increase of 1.85 kg;
27-31 weeks - an increase of 1.55 kg
31-35 weeks - an increase of 1.55 kg;
for the entire period - an increase of 7-11 kg.

For underweight women:

1-17 weeks - an increase of 3.25 kg;
17-23 weeks - an increase of 1.77 kg;
23-27 weeks - an increase of 2.1 kg;

35-40 weeks - an increase of 1.75;
for the entire period - an increase of 12-19 kg.

When carrying a multiple pregnancy:

1-17 weeks - an increase of 4.55 kg;
17-23 weeks - an increase of 2.6 kg;
23-27 weeks - an increase of 3 kg;
27-31 weeks - an increase of 2.35 kg
31-35 weeks - an increase of 2.35 kg;
35-40 weeks - an increase of 1.55 kg;
for the entire period - an increase of 15-20 kg.

weight loss during pregnancy

Weight loss in pregnant women should be considered by trimester of pregnancy.

  • In the first trimester weight loss is most often an obvious sign of early-formed toxicosis, in which a pregnant woman loses kilograms due to dehydration and the woman's frequent refusal to eat a full meal.
  • For the second and third trimesters the causes of weight loss are very similar and are expressed in the malnutrition of a pregnant woman (most often due to the fear of gaining extra pounds, which is an absolutely unjustified and dangerous desire for the unborn baby) or the presence of somatic pathology of any organs or systems.

In any case, a woman should be sure to consult with the gynecologist leading her pregnancy.

Large weight gain during pregnancy is far from safe. The reasons for its occurrence can be considered due to the weakening of the excretion of fluid from the body, the aforementioned high-water pregnancy and the presence of hypothyroidism with a reduced release of thyroid hormones into the blood.

In the event that the gynecologist detects the presence of such a large weight gain during pregnancy, untimely and irrational assistance to them can lead to the development of preeclampsia in pregnant women, and the Rh conflict between the baby and the woman.

Of course, these causes are pathological for both the mother and the fetus. But physiological reasons (for example, the mother’s great age and a genetic predisposition to be overweight) are no less dangerous in this regard.

Adequate treatment pathological weight gain during pregnancy is:

  • without high-calorie foods;
  • in limiting water intake;
  • in the most complete laboratory, instrumental and hardware examination of a woman;
  • in regular walks and reasonable home physical activity of the expectant mother.
  • in the introduction of fasting days.

This type of therapy and prevention overweight in a pregnant woman, it is recommended to carry out no more than once or twice a week.

Fasting day is eating products of the same kind and water in an amount of about 1 liter. The expectant mother can experiment and independently decide on the menu on fasting days, however, it is still worth discussing your plans with a leading gynecologist.

Examples of unloading days:

  • Vegetable(zucchini or pumpkin with a small amount of sour cream).
  • Apple(a kilogram of fresh apples or baked for 6 meals).
  • Fruit(using the same apples, but all the fruits at the request of the mother and the recommendations of the doctor).

Video about weight gain during pregnancy

For a more complete understanding of the topic weight gain during pregnancy you can see the video, which popularly highlights the causes of increased body weight, the rules and recommendations for weighing and calculating mass indices, as well as normal values weight gain during each week of the embryonic period of the fetus.

A general discussion will only help you fully understand the pregnancy weight gain schedule, so feel free to ask and share your own experiences with other people. Your reasoning will help not only you, but also girls and women planning a pregnancy, which is important for their moral preparation for pregnancy.

Only 20% of women return to their former shape within the first three months after the birth of a child. The vast majority of new mothers are forced to update their wardrobe with new sizes, which is fraught not only with additional financial costs, but also new disappointments, depressions. All of this can be avoided by monitoring pregnancy weight gain.

What does the increase consist of:

  • amniotic fluid (0.5-0.6 kg);
  • uterus (1 kg);
  • fetus (2.5-4 kg);
  • breast enlargement (0.5 kg);
  • increase in circulating blood (up to 1.5 kg);
  • placenta (0.4-0.6 kg).

Approximate weight is given in parentheses. In addition, a woman gains 3-4 kg of fat, which serves as an energy depot after the birth of a child. If the increase is more than 15 kg, then the doctors begin to sound the alarm. Up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, weight gain should not be more than 40%, the remaining 60% fall in the second half of the term.

Diet: fractional, slow, reasonable

The optimal number of meals for a pregnant woman is 5 to 7 times a day, including snacks. You can eat in the evening, but no later than 2 hours before going to bed. In the first trimester, small portions, frequent, moderate eating will help reduce the unpleasant manifestations of toxicosis, reduce the likelihood of a strong feeling of hunger, and hence the possibility of overeating.

Small servings prevent spikes in blood glucose levels. To satiate in small portions and make work easier digestive system, food should be eaten slowly, pieces should be chewed thoroughly, eat in a relaxed atmosphere.

General tips on how not to gain weight:

  1. Mandatory breakfast. It will prevent the appearance of a strong feeling of hunger during the day. With toxicosis, it is recommended to eat a cracker or a biscuit cookie while lying in bed. After a while, you can go to a full breakfast.
  2. Food at home. Trips to cafes, restaurants, canteens often end with overeating, eating high-calorie, unhealthy foods that will increase weight during pregnancy.
  3. Light dinner. It is not necessary to load the digestive system with heavy dishes at night, it is better to give preference to dairy products, cereals. It will also help keep you from gaining weight.

Advice! Drink a glass 20 minutes before meals clean water. In winter it can be warm. The liquid will start the digestive system, fill the stomach, and prevent you from eating too much.

Dangerous and harmful products from which excess weight appears

Proper nutrition is the best system for maintaining a normal weight during pregnancy. When eating healthy food, you do not need to count calories or reduce portion sizes. In order for everything to be really simple, and the system to work, you need to exclude a number of products from the diet. Food that is impossible for pregnant women, leading to weight gain, differs little from what is undesirable for any person to eat:

  • chips, crackers;
  • smoked, salty foods;
  • sausages;
  • carbonated drinks;
  • canned food;
  • food fast food, fast food.

In addition, there are products that are especially dangerous during pregnancy. They can cause serious complications, poisoning, diarrhea, and helminth infection if consumed raw. These products include eggs, fish, including sushi, meat, poultry.

Before using any product of industrial production, you need to pay attention to the expiration date. Confectionery with creams, fish preserves, yoghurts, cottage cheese are especially dangerous. Violations in digestive tract, diarrhea and bloating dramatically increase the tone of the uterus, which leads to miscarriage.

Attention! Cabbage, radish, radish can also increase gas formation. They need to be consumed in limited quantities. white cabbage can be cooked or replaced with cauliflower.

Video: Products that threaten pregnancy

The right foods: down with excess weight

The basis of the diet of a pregnant woman should be only wholesome food. When choosing, the composition is carefully studied, it is better to purchase raw products for self-cooking. The basis of the diet during pregnancy is:

  • complex carbohydrates: cereals, grain bread, vegetables and fruits;
  • sea ​​and river fish (before cooking, you need to freeze well);
  • thermally processed meat, preferably red;
  • bird;
  • nuts, seeds;
  • dairy products of medium fat content.

Allowed to use butter up to 10 g per day. When choosing meat and fish, it is advisable to give preference to low-fat varieties or cut off pieces of fat. It is advisable to remove the skin from chicken and turkey.

On a note: Lamb without fat is the ideal meat for a pregnant woman. With regular use, it will maintain the amount of hemoglobin in the blood at the right level.

Features of heat treatment

Frying in oil is the most unhealthy way of cooking and can more than double the calorie content. When using such dishes, a large weight gain cannot be avoided, therefore they are contraindicated during pregnancy.

Which heat treatment methods to choose:

  1. Cooking (in water or steam).
  2. Extinguishing. It is carried out with the addition of water, sauces, broths, a small amount of oil.
  3. Baking. Usually done in an oven. Do not use fatty sauces to refine the taste. Hard cheese significantly increases the calorie content of the dish.

Spicy spices are contraindicated during pregnancy, besides, they increase appetite. To improve the taste heat treatment you can add paprika, cinnamon, laurel to dishes, sesame seeds and fresh herbs are useful. Salt is limited to 5 g per day.

Constipation is another reason for being overweight.

Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, in particular constipation, also lead to weight gain. Stagnation is very harmful for a pregnant woman, increases the tone of the uterus, can cause a threat of miscarriage or premature birth. The bowel must be emptied regularly. With constipation during pregnancy, fiber-rich foods, prunes, preparations with lactulose will help to cope.

With prolonged constipation for more than three days, glycerin suppositories can be used to empty the intestines. But this is not a solution to the problem. It is necessary to normalize nutrition, exclude flour products, with which it is difficult not to gain excess weight.

Video: Super food for pregnant women

Unloading days for pregnant women

If weight gain is ahead of schedule, pregnant women need to arrange fasting days, they are also indicated for edema, constipation, preeclampsia. During the day, one or more types of a healthy product with a low calorie content are consumed. Salt and sugar are excluded. In one day, you can lose up to 2 kg of weight.

Types of unloading days:

  • kefir (1.5 l);
  • apple (up to 1.5 kg);
  • buckwheat (250 g of dry cereals);
  • vegetable (up to 1.5 kg).

In parentheses is the daily amount of the product. It is divided into 5-6 equal portions, consumed every 1.5-2 hours, preventing the appearance of a strong feeling of hunger. Be sure to drink clean water at least 1.5 liters per day.

Sports and pregnancy: how not to gain weight

Increasingly, you can meet pregnant women doing gymnastics, yoga, Pilates, exercising on a fitball, visiting the pool. Physical activity is the best prevention of excess weight, including during pregnancy. With the right approach and the right technique for performing classes, they will only benefit.

In addition to excess weight, other problems will also go away: morning sickness, constipation, leg cramps, back pain. During classes, blood circulation improves, mental stress decreases, and overall well-being improves. Group classes contribute to the emergence of new acquaintances, brighten up the leisure of a pregnant woman.

Contraindications to increased activity:

  • bleeding;
  • hypertension;
  • oligohydramnios;
  • multiple pregnancy.

Any physical activity is indicated only during a normal pregnancy and only after consulting a doctor. If you have health problems, you should limit yourself to walking in the fresh air. Riding, rowing, jumping, cycling and other traumatic sports are prohibited.

Correct and healthy diet will help not to gain excess weight, it is easy to return a slim figure after pregnancy. Exclusion of sweets confectionery, chocolate, fast food will favorably affect not only the figure of a young mother, but also the health of the baby.


A pregnant woman's weight gain is an individual indicator that is subject to control by obstetricians. The mass of newborns is approximately the same, however, during the period of gestation, mothers gain a different number of kilograms. Someone easily fits into the norm and quickly loses weight in postpartum period. Others gain too much and struggle with it for a long time. Some people even manage to lose weight. Why does this happen, and what to do if a woman's weight gain goes against the norms?

Why does the body weight of a pregnant woman increase during pregnancy?

Natural physiological changes lead to the fact that women recover during pregnancy by about 12-14 kg. The main share consists of the weight of the child (3.5 kg), placenta (1 kg), uterus with amniotic fluid (2 kg). The blood volume increases (1.5 kg) for the normal transport of substances to the organs. Interstitial fluid accumulates, its weight can reach 2.25 kg. The weight of the mammary glands approaches 1 kg.


Parallel female body stores up to 3 kg of fat, which is located in the abdomen, arms, thighs. Why is there an accumulation of lipids? This is facilitated by hormonal changes, the purpose of which is to protect the body from adverse factors. Adipose tissue protects the fetus, becomes a source of energy in the postpartum period. The increase in fat in the 1-2 trimesters and in the last stages of pregnancy is due to:

  • increase in the level of insulin in the blood plasma;
  • reducing the sensitivity of tissues to insulin;
  • high levels of progesterone and estrogen;
  • increased synthesis of adrenal hormones.

After childbirth, a significant part of the weight is lost. Losing the rest of the pounds isn't always easy. Provided that a woman takes care of herself, it is possible to lose weight to prenatal weight in 3-6 months.

Baby's weight and its changes

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The weight that the fetus gains is subject to control throughout the pregnancy. This indicator gives the obstetrician information about the development of the baby, allows you to identify deviations in the course of pregnancy in time.

The approximate body weight of the embryo and fetus is determined during ultrasound from the 8th week, for which special formulas are used. They take into account the circumference of the head and abdomen of the fetus, the length femur, term from conception, biparietal size. On the later dates to determine the weight of the baby, the doctor only needs to know the circumference of the mother's abdomen and the height of the uterine fundus.


In the first trimester, the weekly weight gain of the baby is several grams, in the second, the increase is hundreds of grams. From 11 to 17 weeks, the weight of a small person increases significantly (from 15 to 50 grams). After this period, the rate of addition slows down, as the baby has to master skills such as moving arms and legs. At 20 weeks, when most mothers have already felt the first movements, the baby's body weight reaches 300-350 grams.

By week 25, this figure is 1200 grams. On average, before this period, every 7 days, the baby gains 100-150 grams. By week 36 (the time when the newborn is fully viable), his weight reaches 2500-2600 grams. By the beginning of natural childbirth, the weight of the child is 3300-3500 grams.

The following factors influence weight gain in newborns:

  • Heredity (body build of parents). In broad-shouldered stately mothers and fathers, children have more weight at birth than parents of average height and fragile build.
  • Gender of the child. Usually newborn boys weigh 200 grams more than girls.
  • Repeated and multiple pregnancy. With each subsequent birth, the weight of the baby in the womb increases. If twins are born, the weight of each child reaches 2800 g by birth, and this is very difficult for the mother.
  • The lifestyle of the expectant mother. If a pregnant woman does not restrict herself in food, the baby's weight at birth will be more than normal. Children-heroes in the future draw to get obesity, diabetes.
  • Stressful situations, chronic diseases of the mother. Stress can lead to both weight gain (“jamming” problems) and weight loss. Chronic pathologies are exacerbated during pregnancy, which interferes with the absorption of healthy calories and resists the increase.
  • Toxicosis, smoking and alcoholism have a negative impact on well-being and interfere with normal gestation.


Norms of weight gain by a woman during pregnancy by weeks

The obstetrician will be able to calculate the weight norms for the entire pregnancy. The increase in mass is uneven and has an individual character. Someone quickly gains weight almost from the moment of conception, while others can add the required amount of kg only after 21 weeks. Add-on features:

    • Mom gains 40% of the total mass in the first half of pregnancy, the rest - from the 20th week;
    • optimal growth in the first trimester - 200 grams weekly;
    • in the second trimester, appetite returns, and the weight of the pregnant woman grows rapidly - about 350-400 grams per week;
    • in the last weeks, weight growth stops and amounts to almost 300 grams weekly;
    • 10 days before contractions, there is a slight decrease in the number of kilograms due to the removal of excess fluid (one of the harbingers of childbirth).

The rates of increase by months are presented in the table:

Month of gestationWeekly gain, gTotal increase, kg
1 0 0
2 +-200 -2-1
3 +-200 -2-2
4 +100-200 1-4
5 +100-200 2-5
7 +200-500 5-8
8 +300-500 7-11
9 +-300 8-15 (with multiple pregnancy - 11-19 kg)

How to calculate the optimal weight for different stages of pregnancy at home?

The expectant mother should make sure that there are scales (electronic, mechanical) in the house that show the correct data. Weighing is done as follows:

  • get on the scales once a week, on an empty stomach, at the same time;
  • be weighed after emptying the intestines, bladder;
  • measure weight in one piece of clothing (for example, a T-shirt), or without it;
  • record the results of measurements in a calendar or draw up a special schedule.

WHO in 2009 developed a table of female weight gain during singleton pregnancy, which obstetricians are guided by:

Body mass index, kg/sq.mWeek of pregnancy, gain in kg
2 8 12 16 20 24 28 30 36 40
Less than 19.80,5 1,6 2 3,2 5,4 7,7 9,8 10,2 13,6 15,2
19,8-26 0,5 1,2 1,45 2,3 1,4 6,4 8,2 9,1 11,8 13,6
26 and over0,5 0,7 0,9 1,4 2,9 3,89 5,4 5,9 7,9 9,1


A simplified view of the table can be used for independent calculations:

This scheme can be taken as the basis for calculating the optimal recruitment rate at 11, 16, 23, 27 and any other week of pregnancy. Body mass index can be determined by dividing weight by height in meters squared. For example, if before pregnancy the mother weighed 55 kg with a height of 170 cm, then the body mass index is calculated as follows: 55/(1.70x1.70)=21.45 kg/sq.m. According to the table, you can check what total increase in this case will be the norm (11.5-16 kg). In the second trimester, for example, at week 27, an increase of 350-500 grams will be the norm.

Why is excessive weight gain dangerous?

Gaining excess weight (pathological gain) provokes a number of complications and negatively affects the well-being of the pregnant woman and the fetus. The load is experienced by the heart, kidneys, liver of a pregnant woman, shortness of breath, palpitations are observed.

The overvoltage of all systems is due to the fact that the body needs to provide nutrition and oxygen not only to the fetus, but also to fat deposits.

Reasons for a strong increase in each of the trimesters:

  1. Excessive calorie diet. An excess of sweet, starchy, fatty and fried foods is harmful.
  2. Fluid retention. Leads to edema, dangerous for the kidneys.
  3. Hypothyroidism. The lack of thyroid hormones leads to a slowdown in metabolic processes.

Excess pounds during pregnancy are undesirable for the following reasons:

  • a high rate of weight gain is stress for the body, it is difficult for it to adapt to new conditions;
  • joints are destroyed;
  • back pain appears as a result of increased load;
  • early aging of the placenta, dangerous for the fetus;
  • increased risk of developing hemorrhoids, varicose veins;
  • the risk of birth injuries, ruptures of the perineum and cervical canal during childbirth increases;
  • possible weak labor activity;
  • the appearance of gestational diabetes, fetal hypoxia, edema, increased blood pressure, gestosis.

Large baby - the risk of severe protracted birth, caesarean section. Against the background of excess adipose tissue, the mother may have problems with lactation in the postpartum period. The reason is the infiltration of the monoglandular lobules of the mammary glands.

Pathological weight loss

It happens that weight gain is slow, or a pregnant woman loses kilograms altogether. This anomaly is considered by trimesters:

  • First trimester. Losses are associated with toxicosis, which forces you to refuse food, leads to dehydration.
  • Second and third trimesters. Toxicosis worries less often, however, the expectant mother may restrict herself in nutrition for fear of gaining excess weight. Another reason for poor weight gain is chronic pathologies in a pregnant woman that interfere with the absorption of food.

The lack of nutritional intake affects the health of the fetus. The risk of early birth, miscarriage, and developmental delays of the baby increases. The doctor will help adjust the diet and prevent pathological changes.

What to do if the weight of the pregnant woman does not meet the standards?

When diagnosing excessive or slight weight gain, inpatient treatment is indicated. A sparing diet will be selected for the patient, taking into account the state of health and the characteristics of pregnancy.


If you are overweight, you should temporarily limit high-calorie, salty, fatty foods. Drinking regime limited to 1.5 liters of water per day. It is possible to take medications as prescribed by a doctor. Outdoor walks are shown, gymnastics should be done regularly to prepare for childbirth.

If you need to get better, doctors select a high-calorie diet, prescribe vitamins to stimulate appetite. When weight is not gained, relapse therapy is possible chronic diseases, taking medication to relieve toxicosis.

Abnormal weight gain requires medical supervision. The following events are being held:

  • prevention of miscarriage - taking progesterone up to 16 weeks;
  • blood sugar control (up to 16 weeks), glucose tolerance test (after 23 weeks);
  • urinalysis to exclude pyelonephritis;
  • exacerbation prevention hypertension and gestosis;
  • fetal weight control.


How to prevent large weight gain during pregnancy?

How many kilograms a pregnant woman should gain depends on her weight before conception. To control the increase will allow compliance with the following recommendations:

  • the use of seasonal vegetables in raw, stewed, baked form;
  • a balanced diet, where proteins should be present (lean meat, fish, dairy products);
  • the use of carbohydrates (cereals, pasta from durum wheat), baking should be limited;
  • fats should be consumed in portions, preference should be given to olive and sunflower oils;
  • control of the use of salt and sweets;
  • daily calorie intake should be 300-450 kcal higher than the one that was before pregnancy;
  • time last appointment food - 18:30, before going to bed at about 21:30 you can drink a sour-milk drink or eat light jelly.

The load during pregnancy requires the mother to be attentive to health. Basics proper nutrition and medical control will help to endure a healthy baby, and after childbirth it will be easy to return to the weight that was before conception.

Website "Mom can do anything!" offers to find out the norms of weight gain during pregnancy, as well as why they are different for different women. Many girls, being in an interesting position, worry about their figure and are afraid to get fat too much. Others eat plenty, considering pregnancy as a time when everything is possible!

Each visit to the gynecologist begins with a control weighing, and if the gains are too large, the doctor may advise the woman to weigh herself every day at home.

When and how is it better to weigh yourself?

This procedure is carried out every day in the morning on an empty stomach, immediately after getting out of bed. Data is recorded in a special notebook. They even write the amount of drunk and excreted fluid (in case of edema).

So you track the increase and if it is too large at the time, reduce your diet, as well as track the fluid retained in the body.

Weight gain during pregnancy

In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby and mother only get used to and adapt to each other. There is no increase during this period. If a woman is concerned about toxicosis, then the weight may decrease. In the first 12 weeks, a woman usually gains 1-2 kg.

During the second trimester (12-30 weeks) the main increase occurs. The weight of a raging mother increases by an average of 250-300 grams per week. If the increase is greater, then you should reduce the calorie content of food, and reduce the amount of fluid you drink. A large increase is often due to hidden or obvious edema.

During the third trimester, a woman's weight increases by about 200-250 grams per week. And for the entire pregnancy, a woman should gain 10-12 kg.

However, these data are averaged. So a woman with a fair amount of extra pounds at the beginning of pregnancy should add less, and with insufficient body weight she adds more. To determine the norm, your doctor can use a special table. You will find it in the article below.

Weight during pregnancy

The number of kilograms that the expectant mother will gain during pregnancy depends on many reasons, here are some of them.

  1. Age. The older the woman, the slower the metabolism and the greater the tendency to be overweight.
  2. Starting weight. A woman with a weight deficit during pregnancy will gain more kilograms than the one whose parameters fit into the norm.
  3. The presence of toxicosis. The stronger the toxicosis was in a woman at the beginning of pregnancy, the more the body will store nutrients for the future.
  4. features of the constitution. It is important whether a woman has a tendency to be overweight or thin.
  5. Child size. With a fairly large baby (more than 4 kg), the placenta, as a rule, is also more than normal. As a result, the woman will have a large increase in weight.

What do the acquired kg go for?

  • Child - 3300 g;
  • afterbirth - 400 g;
  • uterus - 900g;
  • amniotic fluid - 900 g;
  • blood (its volume also increases during pregnancy) - 1200 g;
  • mammary glands - 500 g;
  • fat layer - 2200 g;
  • tissue fluid - 2700 g.

All this in total gives these very 12,000 g, which is considered normal weight gain in pregnant women.

Why would the increase be higher?

  1. Large fruit.
  2. Initially low amount of adipose tissue.
  3. Polyhydramnios.
  4. Excess tissue fluid (edema).

The first two circumstances are normal, but in the case of the third and fourth, the attention of doctors is necessary.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

Sometimes the expectant mother wants to keep her figure so much that she goes on a strict diet. Some resort to this method, hoping that the child will be born small and the birth will be easier. But in fact, these arguments are wrong. With a weight gain of 10-12 kg, a woman after childbirth will return to her pre-pregnant form in 2-3 months if she adheres to a reasonable diet.

First, calculate your BMI (body mass index). It is calculated by the formula:

BMI = weight (kg) / height 2 (m).

The results should be interpreted as follows:

  • BMI > 26 overweight women;
  • BMI = 19.8 - 26.0 - women with normal weight;
  • BMI< 19,8 – женщины с недостаточной массой;

Calculation example:

  • Height - 1.6 m;
  • Weight - 48 kg.

BMI = 48 / (1.60) 2 = 18.8

According to these calculations, it turns out that the woman has insufficient body weight, which means that the optimal increase for her will be 15 kg.

If you really care about your health and want to keep a good figure after childbirth, you should think about your diet. For you, we have collected the most delicious recipes for .