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How Much Weight Gain During Pregnancy?

Updated IOM guidelines specify weight gain by prepregnancy WHO BMI categories.

Women who are in their childbearing years differ in many ways from women who bore children in 1990, when the Institute of Medicine (IOM) last published its guidelines for weight gain during singleton pregnancies (JW Womens Health Nov 29 2007). The childbearing population is now more racially and culturally diverse in the U.S. BMIs of nonpregnant women have risen, and obesity is more common. Women are also becoming pregnant later in life and are more likely to have preexisting conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes. The new IOM recommendations (see table) are based on prepregnancy BMI categories as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) rather than on categories derived from the Metropolitan Life Insurance tables. Moreover, the range of recommended weight gain for obese women has narrowed.

Comment: These guidelines are intended for use in the U.S. but are applicable in other developed countries. The recommended weight gain ranges represent healthy goals; however, many factors other than weight gain can affect health outcomes during pregnancy. Prepregnancy interventions (e.g., counseling and support about diet and physical activity) can help overweight or obese women to attain healthy weights before they become pregnant. During that time, access to contraception is especially important.

— Diane J. Angelini, EdD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, NEA-BC

Published in Journal Watch Women's Health July 2, 2009

Citation(s):

Committee to Reexamine IOM Pregnancy Weight Guidelines. Institute of Medicine; National Research Council. Executive summary: Weight gain during pregnancy: Reexamining the guidelines. In: Rasmussen KM and Yaktine AL, eds. Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. Washington, DC. National Academies Press; 2009: 1.

Reader Remarks:

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• Pretty basic info
  Julie B Clark, EOMC, 29 Jul 2009 3:21 PM EST
  I think this article is pretty self explanatory. Nothing here that really affects clinical practice.