A weight gain during pregnancy chart helps in showing pregnant women what should be the normal weight gain during the entire pregnancy. Weight gain during pregnancy may vary from woman to woman depending on factors such as weight of the woman before conception (whether she was underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese) and whether the pregnant woman is carrying a single baby or twins. According to an average weight gain during pregnancy chart, a woman who was of normal healthy weight before pregnancy should gain at least 25 to 30 pounds during pregnancy.
On the other hand, a pregnant woman with twins should gain between 35-45 pounds during pregnancy. Most pregnant women are worried about gaining excess weight during pregnancy and therefore a week by week weight gain during pregnancy chart helps pregnant women understand what should be the normal weekly weight gain during pregnancy. Generally in the first trimester of pregnancy most pregnant women gain between 2-4 pounds and thereon for next two trimesters the weight gain is approximately 1-2 pounds every week. A pregnancy weight gain calculator chart also helps in showing how the weight is distributed during the pregnancy. The total pregnancy weight gain includes weight of the baby, the placenta, amniotic fluid, and uterus, increased heaviness of the breasts and increased blood supply as well as excess fats stored for breastfeeding.
A normal weight gain during pregnancy chart calculates the BMI (body mass index) by dividing a pregnant woman’s pre-conception weight in kilograms by her height in meters square. This helps in determining what should be her normal weight gain during the pregnancy. In case of a twin pregnancy, weight gain would definitely be higher as compared to a single pregnancy. Underweight, overweight and obese women in particular need to monitor their weight gain during pregnancy to avoid unnecessary pregnancy complications. Similarly a baby weight gain chart during pregnancy helps a pregnant woman monitor how much weight her baby has been gaining in different stages of the pregnancy. These charts help by showing fetal weight and height measurements which help pregnant women understand how their baby is developing and growing. In general most babies put on most of their body weight in the last 2 months of the pregnancy. Ultrasounds are also used commonly towards the end of the pregnancy to determine the weight of the baby. These charts are very useful during pregnancy to determine the health of both the mother and the baby.
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