Pregnant women gain weight – even if they eat a healthy and balanced diet.
The weight of the placenta and amniotic fluid is added to the increasing weight of the growing child.
This is why pregnant women usually gain the most weight in the last few months of pregnancy.

There are many opinions on the internet about how many extra pounds are normal for a pregnant woman, some of which are contradictory.
However, there are no generally valid values for weight gain.
Instead, pregnant women should use their pre-conception weight and these values as a guide:

  • BMI < 18.5 before pregnancy: weight gain during pregnancy between 12.5 and 18 kg
  • BMI 18.5 – 24.9 before pregnancy: weight gain between 11.5 and 16 kg
  • BMI 25 – 29.9 before pregnancy: weight gain between 7 and 11.5 kg
  • BMI > 30 before pregnancy: weight gain between 5 and 9 kg

The BMI reflects the ratio of weight to height.
A BMI <18,5 gilt als Untergewicht, zwischen 18,5 und 25 besteht Normalgewicht und zwischen 25 und 30 Übergewicht; bei einem BMI> 30 indicates obesity (adiposity).

Why gaining too much weight is harmful

Pregnant women who gain a lot of weight have a higher risk of health problems (see below) and complications during childbirth.
After the birth of the child, they also often have difficulty losing the extra weight again.
A rapid, strong weight gain of around one kilo per week can indicate various health problems, including pre-eclampsia.
This condition, which is typical of pregnancy, is mainly characterized by high blood pressure, but also by nausea, headaches and dizziness and can be life-threatening for mother and child without immediate medical help.
Increased weight gain can also be a risk factor or an indication of gestational diabetes, which in turn increases the risk of pre-eclampsia and can lead to excessive weight gain in the unborn child with corresponding birth complications.

This is how insufficient weight gain can affect you

If pregnant women gain too little weight, this relative malnutrition can harm the unborn child by causing it to be born prematurely or with a birth weight that is significantly too low.
Underweight pregnant women can generally gain weight with the help of protein supplements, but should only do so after consulting their doctor.
Food supplements with a high protein content can impair the baby’s growth.

What pregnant women with excessive weight gain can do

Most women can eat whatever they want during their pregnancy.
For women who were very overweight (BMI over 30) before pregnancy or who gain weight quickly, changing their diet and increasing their exercise can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and lower the risk of birth complications.
In the case of severe obesity or gestational diabetes, doctors and nutritionists generally recommend eating less carbohydrates and more fiber instead.
Exactly how the diet can be changed depends, among other things, on body weight and the sports or exercise program – ideally for at least 30 minutes about three to four days a week.
Suitable sports can be gymnastics, swimming, cycling or walking, as long as the doctor gives the green light.
In addition to sufficient calories, the body also needs important nutrients during pregnancy, which is why, for example, a low-calorie diet is not recommended.
To avoid a nutrient deficiency, additional nutritional advice may therefore be useful.

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What happens in the last three months of pregnancyDrittes Trimenon der SchwangerschaftLebensmittel mit besonders viel FolatThese foods contain particularly high levels of folic acid