Calculate Your Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Wondering how much weight you should gain during pregnancy? It’s normal to put on weight during pregnancy, as your body undergoes many changes to support the growth of your baby, placenta, and other pregnancy-related needs. However, knowing what’s considered healthy weight gain for your stage of pregnancy is important for both you and your baby.
How Much Weight Should You Gain During Pregnancy?
The amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy varies depending on factors like your pre-pregnancy weight, whether you're carrying a single baby or multiples, and your overall health.
- Underweight women may need to gain more weight.
- Overweight women may need to gain less.
- Women carrying twins or multiples will typically gain more weight.
Understanding your weight gain is key to ensuring that both you and your baby are healthy throughout pregnancy.
Our Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator
Our tool gives you a personalised weight gain range based on your pre-pregnancy weight, height, and how far along you are. Enter your details to see how your expected weight gain compares with the recommended range.
Why Is Weight Gain Important During Pregnancy?
Weight gain during pregnancy isn’t just about the baby’s size. It also supports the placenta, amniotic fluid, increased blood volume, breast tissue development, and your body’s preparation for breastfeeding.
What's the Healthy Weight Gain Range?
On average, the following guidelines are suggested:
- Underweight women (BMI less than 18.5): Gain 28-40 pounds
- Normal weight women (BMI 18.5 to 24.9): Gain 25-35 pounds
- Overweight women (BMI 25 to 29.9): Gain 15-25 pounds
- Obese women (BMI 30 or higher): Gain 11-20 pounds
If you are carrying twins, weight gain recommendations are typically higher.
Track Your Weight Gain for a Healthy Pregnancy
It’s important to track your weight gain as pregnancy progresses so you can spot whether you are roughly staying within the expected range. Too little or too much weight gain can both be worth discussing with your midwife or doctor.
What to Keep in Mind
- Every pregnancy is different, so use this as a guide rather than a diagnosis.
- Pregnancy isn’t just about the scale. A healthy diet and appropriate activity matter too.
- If you’re concerned about your weight gain, always speak to your healthcare provider.