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Gestational weight calculator: how many kilos you can gain

Pregnancy

Weight gain during pregnancy happens to all women and is part of a healthy pregnancy. Still, it is important to keep your weight under control to avoid gaining excess weight, which can harm the pregnant woman’s health and the baby’s development.

The amount of weight that can be gained during pregnancy varies from one woman to another. However, weight gain during a single pregnancy generally varies between 5 and 18 kg, while during twin pregnancy it varies between 11 and 25 kg.

To find out what your weight should be at each week of pregnancy, enter your data into the calculator below:

How weight gain is calculated

To calculate weight gain during pregnancy, you must calculate your BMI before becoming pregnant. Then, the BMI classification must be compared with the weight gain values ​​in the following table:

This gestational weight calculator uses pregnancy standards as a basis. Institute of Medicine (IOM), which means “Institute of Medicine” in Portuguese.

There is still no scientific data to determine the weight gain that women with multiple pregnancies (triplets or more babies) should gain. Therefore, it is recommended to consult your obstetrician to check your body weight.

How much weight is healthy to gain during pregnancy?

The weight that each pregnant woman can gain during pregnancy varies depending on the type of pregnancy and the weight the woman had before becoming pregnant, as women with low weight gain more weight during pregnancy, and women with more weight gain less.

However, the expected healthy weight gain among women during singleton pregnancies varies between 5 and 18 kg.

What causes weight gain during pregnancy?

Weight gain during pregnancy occurs due to physical changes in the woman’s body to receive the baby, such as an increase in the volume of the breasts, the weight of the baby and the placenta. Furthermore, hormonal changes also favor fluid retention, which contributes to weight gain.

Weight gain is generally slower until the 13th week. From the 14th week onwards, weight gain is greater, because the baby enters a phase of more accelerated development, where it increases significantly in size and weight.

However, high weight gain during pregnancy can also arise due to excessive food consumption and lack of physical activity, for example.

We regularly update our content with the latest scientific information, so that it maintains an exceptional level of quality.

Bibliography
  • THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS. Weight Gain During Pregnancy. Disponível em: <https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/01/weight-gain-during-pregnancy>. Acesso em 20 abr 2023
  • BRAZILIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF OBESITY AND METABOLIC SYNDROME – ABESO. Weight Gain During Pregnancy . 2019. Available at: <https://abeso.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/5521b01341a2c.pdf>. Accessed on April 20, 2023
  • INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE (US) AND NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (US). Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines.. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK32799/#summary.s1>. Accessed on April 20, 2023
  • Related to: “Learn how many kilos you can gain during pregnancy”:
  • INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE (US) AND NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (US). Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines.. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK32799/#summary.s1>. Accessed on April 27, 2023
  • THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS. Weight Gain During Pregnancy. Disponível em: <https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/01/weight-gain-during-pregnancy>. Acesso em 27 abr 2023
  • BRAZILIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF OBESITY AND METABOLIC SYNDROME – ABESO. Weight Gain During Pregnancy . 2019. Available at: <https://abeso.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/5521b01341a2c.pdf>. Accessed on April 27, 2023