Weight gain during pregnancy & # 39; without measurement & # 39;

Midwives seek formal advice on how much weight women can take during pregnancy.

One in five women in the UK is obese at the beginning of her pregnancy, but there is no national goal for what constitutes normal weight gain during pregnancy.

Regular weighing fell into disuse in the 1990s, when it was suggested that they caused unnecessary anxiety to pregnant women for little or no clinical gain.

Officials say they plan to reintroduce them.

The National Institute for Excellence in Health and Care (NICE) is currently reviewing its opinion on weight for pregnancy.

Her current guidelines indicate that weight and height should be measured at the first appointment, but not repeatedly during pregnancy.

US guidelines recommend keeping track of weight gain and setting clear goals:

Institute of Medicine Weight Gain Recommendations for Pregnancy

• Low weight – gain of 28 to 40 lbs (12.7 to 18.1 kg) during pregnancy
• Normal weight – 25 to 35 lb. gain (11.3 to 15.9 kg)
• Overweight – gain 15-25 lbs (6.8 to 11.3 kg)
• Obesity – gain from 11 to 20 lbs (5-9,1 kg)

NICE indicates that it plans to adopt the same recommendations in its new board, which is still in the early stages of planning, which means it is unlikely to be published before 2019.

Her current guidelines advise against dieting during pregnancy, but pregnant women should avoid "eating with two". Energy needs do not change during the first six months of pregnancy and increase only slightly over the last three months, while expectant mothers need about 200 more calories per day.

Mandy Forrester, of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said some British midwives were already using American weight guidelines, but others did not have access to scales.

"Midwives clearly need the tools, guidance and training they need to be able to provide women with the best support and the best possible care.This is particularly urgent because of the potentially serious complications that women may have. being overweight or obese. "

Obese women (with a BMI greater than 30) when they become pregnant are at increased risk for complications such as diabetes, miscarriages and pre-eclampsia.

According to research, being underweight or overweight during pregnancy could also have a negative impact on the baby.

The comments from the RCM come as a new study published in the journal Diabetologia asserts that too much or too little weight gain during pregnancy is linked to adverse effects in children as young as seven years old.

The Hong Kong study focused on 905 mothers and their children and highlighted health problems such as high blood pressure and poor blood sugar control.