Weight gain before pregnancy

Many people when contemplating pregnancy are not particular about their weight. They are unaware of the consequences of abnormal weight on their health, and that it can have negative effects on their pregnancy. To maximally experience optimal state of pregnancy, it is important to gain and maintain appropriate weight at all stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding. This process should best start before pregnancy when you are planning to have a baby.

Normal weight is judged by a normal Body Mass Index (BMI). A body mass index is weight divided by the square of your height. If it is high one has to reduce weight and if low one has to put on weight.

Pregnancy is extremely demanding, both on the mother and the growing foetus. Many dramatic changes occur at a rapid rate. There is increased metabolic state influenced by many hormonal changes in pregnancy, therefore it needs good maternal preparation. Take time before becoming pregnant to assess your diet and eating habits and make changes that will help you gain a healthy weight before conception. This should be based on an acceptable BMI level. Once pregnancy is achieved, appropriate weight gain should be maintained for your sake and your baby’s.

Unfortunately, many pregnancies are not planned, being ‘accidental’, and thus denying the mother-to-be a chance to address issues related to optimum health including appropriate weight before pregnancy. The extra weight you gain during pregnancy provides nourishment to your developing baby and is also stored for breastfeeding your baby after delivery.

Measuring the BMI 
When using a BMI scale, underweight women have an index of less than 20 compared to healthy people with an index of 20-25. Those with an index of more than 25 are said to be overweight. This is an easy calculation that does not need sophisticated equipment. To determine your BMI status, it can easily be predicted by a series of multiple analyses. To reduce any regression, you have to gain accepted BMI before conception and then maintain good weight gain and nutritional status in pregnancy. This helps one to restore nutritional health to where it should be. However, it is important to focus on maintaining good nutritional status before, during and after pregnancy.

Trouble in gaining weight
Some women of child bearing age are undernourished or malnutritioned due to limited food reserves, poor birth spacing and a high fertility rate and cultural values that compromise maternal nutrition. There is a relatively high level of poverty and socioeconomic factors that contribute to this. This is one important reason why checking on nutrition and general body weight is necessary when considering pregnancy.

Others, due to morning sickness, have trouble gaining weight and some women lose a little weight in the first trimester of their pregnancy. Fortunately at this time, the baby does not need as many calories and nutrients as he will later in pregnancy. It is important to gain weight at a steady pace throughout your pregnancy. If a woman does not gain weight evenly in her entire pregnancy, complications such as a low-birth weight of the infant or premature delivery could occur.

Babies who are born to mothers who do not gain more than 10kgs while pregnant are often considered small, meaning they may have been malnourished during pregnancy. Corrective measures should then be undertaken by being on a good balanced diet and also by avoiding too much exercise.

Needless to say, some people are overweight and need to reduce weight since too much weight has its own negative consequences in pregnancy. This should be achieved before pregnancy through good nutrition and exercise.

END: PG 26 /9