Tips for Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain

Weight Concerns

The more excess pounds you put on during pregnancy, the higher your chances of having these complications.

Preeclampsia

A 2007 study in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that normal-weight women were twice as likely to develop dangerously high blood pressure if they gained more than 35 pounds during pregnancy. This condition can cause premature birth or infant death.

A Difficult Delivery

Gaining too much weight during pregnancy may lead to a large baby (weighing more than 9.9 pounds), and your doctor may need to perform a c-section or use a vacuum or forceps to deliver the baby.

An Overweight Child

Research shows that kids whose mothers gained too much weight during pregnancy have a fourfold greater risk of becoming overweight by age 3.

Originally published in the June 2009 issue of Parents magazine.