Pregnancy Weight Gain

A question that is on almost every pregnant woman's mind: How much weight should I gain? Whether you started off with a bang and gained 10 pounds in the first trimester, or were felled by morning sickness and are thinner than ever, you'll need to know the basics: How much weight gain is necessary? When in the pregnancy should you be gaining, and where does all that weight go?

Optimal weight gain depends on your pre-pregnancy height and weight and how many babies you're carrying. The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine uses the following guidelines for pregnancy weight gain.