This year the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the National Research Council (NRC) made the first revision to their pregnancy weight gain guidelines since 1990. Now the guidelines are revised so that women who are overweight at the start of their pregnancies should gain only 11 to 20 pounds. Previously, it was stated that overweight women should gain about 25 pounds in pregnancy. This effects about a quarter of all pregnant women.
While the guidelines are officially new, they have been in the works for awhile. Studies have been going on for the last few years as the number of obese and overweight women who are pregnant have grown. The latest study says that obese women might be fine gaining no weight at all. Zero. They say that weight gain should be limited to about a 3% of their starting weight gain. One study about pregnancy weight gain in women who are obese (BMI above 29), it is being said that not only do they not need to gain a lot of weight, but a neutral gain and even a loss may be perfectly acceptable for these patients. One of the studies talked about the benefits of weight loss in pregnancy, as far as preventing some diseases like pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), gestational diabetes (GD) and it could even help lower the c-section rates.
The pregnancy weight gain that is recommended for women with a body mass index (BMI) under 30 has not changed:
| BMI | Recommended Weight Gain |
| 30+ | 11-20 lbs |
| 25 - 29.9 | 15-25 lbs |
| 18.6-24.9 | 25-35 lbs |
| 18.5 and lower | 28-40 lbs |
Related:
Sources:
Gestational Weight Gain and Pregnancy Outcomes in Obese Women How Much Is Enough? Deborah W. Kiel. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2007;110:752-758
Weight Gain During Pregnancy:
Reexamining the Guidelines. Kathleen M. Rasmussen and Ann L. Yaktine, Editors; Committee to Reexamine IOM Pregnancy Weight Guidelines; Institute of Medicine; National Research Council; 2009.