Weight control during pregnancy reduces birth risks

As time goes by, the idea that one person can provide for two is no longer valid! Pregnant mothers should not be greedy and want to have a good figure. At the same time, they should not use the excuse of providing nutrition for the baby as a good reason to give themselves a good reason to "stop eating". In addition, being overweight during pregnancy not only makes it difficult to regain your figure after childbirth, but may also cause complications during pregnancy or increase the difficulty of delivery. Please read this plan to learn how to nourish the fetus without gaining weight, maintain a healthy pregnancy body shape and weight, and have a healthy baby.

Western Medicine on Weight Control

★ The upper limit of pregnancy weight is a few kilograms

Before we talk about how to nourish the fetus without gaining weight, we must first explain what is the appropriate weight during pregnancy? I often hear people say that pregnancy weight must be controlled within 10-12 kilograms; some say it is 12-15 kilograms; and some say 8 kilograms is the upper limit. In fact, the amount of weight gain during pregnancy varies from person to person. Furthermore, in addition to increasing the weight of the fetus, pregnancy also increases the weight of the placenta, amniotic fluid, uterus, total blood volume, breast tissue, fat storage, etc. Normally, the placenta and amniotic fluid weigh about 4 to 5 kilograms; the uterus, breasts, and blood weigh about 3 to 4 kilograms; the total weight gain during pregnancy is at least 7 to 9 kilograms, but don't forget that the weight of the breasts due to breastfeeding after delivery will increase by about 2 to 4 kilograms.

Shen Mengxun, full-time attending physician in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Taipei Medical University Hospital, said: "The most precise pregnancy weight management is to calculate the range of pregnancy weight control based on the woman's BMI value before pregnancy." (Organized in the following table). On the other hand, the allowable weight gain range for pregnant mothers with twins is between 35 and 45 pounds, about 16 to 20 kilograms. Dr. Shen Mengxun reminded that twins are usually born earlier than single babies, so it is recommended that mothers should not gain too much weight.

Body Mass Index (BMI) before pregnancy/recommended weight gain during pregnancy

• If BMI is less than 19.8, it is recommended to increase weight by 12.5 to 18 kg.

• For BMI 19.8-26.0, it is recommended to gain 11.5-16 kg.

• For BMI 26.0-29.0, it is recommended to increase weight by 7-11.5 kg.

• For BMI＞29.0, it is recommended that the weight gain should not exceed 7-8 kg.

(Note) BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (㎡).

Being overweight during pregnancy also increases the risk

Why is weight control during pregnancy so important? Dr. Shen Mengxun pointed out that normal weight gain during pregnancy can not only avoid postpartum obesity, but also help the delivery go smoothly and reduce the harm caused by delivery. You should also gain weight reasonably during pregnancy. Dr. Shen Mengxun reminds you that it is best not to gain more than 3 kg in the first three months. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, it is best to gain an average of 0.5 kg per week (about 2 to 3 kg per month). If you gain too much weight during pregnancy, the chances of developing medical diseases will also be higher, such as cardiovascular, kidney, hypertension and other diseases. If you do not follow certain dietary restrictions and gain weight too quickly, it can easily lead to gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and in severe cases, obstetric diseases such as preeclampsia. If the mother has too much body fat, it will also affect the speed of postpartum wound healing.

Gestational hypertension refers to high blood pressure that occurs after 20 weeks of pregnancy, but is not accompanied by proteinuria. Blood pressure will return to normal after delivery. Preeclampsia refers to blood pressure higher than 140/90 mmHg after 20 weeks of pregnancy, combined with a urine protein test greater than 1+, or urine protein greater than 300 mg within 24 hours. Medically, the exact pathogenesis of preeclampsia is not yet fully understood, but it is still important to pay attention to weight control during pregnancy to avoid high blood pressure caused by being overweight.

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