Weight gain during pregnancy: norm and pathology
Weight gain during pregnancy worries many women. How to gain weight for all 40 weeks that is consistent with the norm? Some pregnant women consider themselves too “round” and begin to starve, while others, justify the inordinate appetite of the words: “I – the expectant mother,” and they eat for two. Although malnutrition, and eating not only leads to pathologies in the child’s development, but also to various complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Weight gain during pregnancy is perfectly natural state, because the future baby needed nutrients, vitamins and minerals for growth, deposition of fat in a woman shall protect the child and also increase the uterus weight, blood, and so on.
How are the extra weight during pregnancy?
On average, healthy pregnant for the entire period of gaining weight 10-15 kg. Weight gain during pregnancy depends on many factors: the initial mass of a woman’s body, her constitutional features, diet and number of embryos:
- if normal weight, gain during pregnancy is 11,5-16 kg;
- in low weight gain should be 12,5-18 kg;
- overweight – increase 7-11,5 kg;
- obesity – increase of 6 kg or less;
- multiple pregnancy – gain 16-21 lbs.
Consumption typed body weight:
- child – 2.5-3.8 kg;
- growing placenta – 500-600 g;
- enlarged uterus – 1 kg;
- breast enlargement – 500 g;
- increase in blood volume – 1.5 kg;
- amniotic fluid – 800-1000 g;
- interstitial fluid – 1.5-2 kg;
- additional deposits in the subcutaneous fat (in the buttocks, thighs and abdomen) – 3-4 lbs.
How does the weight gain and what it depends on
Rate of weight gain is different – you can add one more month, and in another less. It is noted that lean women gain weight more than full. Some women gain weight, beginning with the early stages of pregnancy, and then lowers the rate, while others are beginning to dramatically gain weight after 20 weeks of gestation. Both the first and second option is not a pathology, if not beyond the boundaries of the optimal weight gain.
In the first trimester of a woman with a normal body weight adds 1.5 kg underweight – 2 kg, and with being overweight – 800 gr. In the second and third trimester weight gain rate is accelerating. Between 14 to 28 weeks pregnant with a normal weight weekly gains of 300 grams. But before the birth, at 38-40 weeks is a decrease in body weight at 400-800 g – is one of the forerunners of birth.
Effect of nutrition on weight gain
The diet of the pregnant woman should be diverse, reasonably nutritious and fortified. Many women during pregnancy increases the appetite, and they begin to “lean” on the sweets, confectionery, which contributes to the accumulation of excess fat. In the first 12-14 weeks, a woman needs to get 200 extra calories during the second and third trimester – up to 300. Overeating is threatened not only by the problems with the figure in the postpartum period and cellulite, but also the birth of a child and a large for gestational diabetes. Malnutrition leads to brain damage and disturbance of metabolism in the fetus, its light weight and propensity to diseases after birth. In severe cases, malnutrition can lead to a threat of miscarriage or premature labor or even fetal death.
