Maternal weight gain

Women who have healthy babies gain varying amounts of weight during pregnancy. However, women who gain the recommended amount of weight based on pre-pregnancy body mass index have better pregnancy outcomes.

Women who do not gain enough weight during pregnancy may have an infant born prematurely, or one that is small for their gestational age. These infants face more risk of illness or death soon after birth, physical and cognitive disabilities, and chronic health problems later in life.

Women who gain too much weight tend to have large for gestational age infants, and face higher risks of longer labour and birth, birth trauma, birth asphyxia, caesarean birth, and increased risk of perinatal mortality.

Key findings:

Notes:

Figure: Annual proportion of women giving birth who gained weight below, within, and above recommended guidelines, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016

Graph depicting Annual proportion of women giving birth who gained weight below, within, and above recommended guidelines, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016. Data found in tables below.

Table: Annual proportion of women giving birth who gained weight below, within, and above recommended guidelines, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016

Weight gain2013201420152016
Below Recommended14.714.717.018.5
Within Recommended26.727.226.926.9
Above Recommended50.950.849.048.8

Table: Annual number of women giving birth who gained weight below, within, and above recommended guidelines, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016

Weight gain2013201420152016
Below Recommended273279312338
Within Recommended495517494491
Above Recommended945964900891

This item was last modified on October 26, 2018