Weekly weight gain for pregnant women

After a woman becomes pregnant, many aspects of her life change, especially her weight and abdomen. Pregnancy is divided into three stages: early pregnancy, mid pregnancy, and late pregnancy. Pregnant women should undergo prenatal checkups as required by doctors. They should have a full understanding of the standard weekly weight gain data and should not let their weight exceed the standard. Especially in the late stages of pregnancy, they should exercise more to prepare for the subsequent delivery.

1. Weight gain standards during pregnancy

There are relevant regulations on the weight gain standards for pregnant women. If a pregnant woman gains too much weight, it will affect the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. However, if the pregnant woman does not gain enough weight, the growth of the fetus will be restricted to a certain extent. Pregnant women first need to know their pre-pregnancy weight and calculate their BMI (body mass index) value accordingly. BMI value is used to measure obesity, BMI=weight (kg)/(height m)2.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy is an important indicator of good nutrition. The ideal total weight gain during pregnancy is 10 to 14 kilograms. Expectant mothers who are underweight before pregnancy can gain more weight during pregnancy. On the contrary, those who are overweight before pregnancy should exercise more restraint. All in all, weight gain should be gradual, with an average of about 1 to 2 kg in the first three months and about 0.5 kg per week in the middle and late stages.

2. Interpretation of pregnant women’s weight data

Generally speaking, the weight of a pregnant woman will gradually increase after pregnancy, and the range of increase needs to be determined based on the pregnant woman's own conditions, such as pre-pregnancy weight, height and other factors. The interpretation of pregnant women's weight data is that in the early stages of pregnancy, the pregnant woman's weight increases by about 1-2kg. Since the fetus's absorption of nutrients is limited at this time, the weight should not increase too much.

The weight of pregnant women increases by about 5-6kg in the second and third trimesters, which means about 0.4kg per week. The weight gain of pregnant women in the second trimester is mainly caused by changes in maternal physiology, including increased blood volume, increased weight of the uterus, breasts and related tissue fluid, and fat storage. The weight gain of pregnant women in the late pregnancy is mainly caused by fetal development. The weight gain of the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid will all lead to an increase in the weight of pregnant women.