Ideal Body Weight During Pregnancy

UMMATIMES - Pregnant women are advised to regulate their body weight in order to stay in ideal conditions and maintain a well-nourished and balanced diet. The weight gain in the first trimester is relatively small, not increasing or even decreasing due to vomiting.

Rapid weight gain occurs in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, it is during this period that extra monitoring of body weight is necessary.

The increase in total body weight during pregnancy normally ranges from 12-15 kg, while entering the 2nd trimester the fetus grows rapidly with a growth of approximately 10 grams per day (week 16 is around 90 grams, week 20 is about 256 grams, week 24 is around 680. gr, week 27 about 900 gr).

The ideal body weight of the expectant mother at the start of pregnancy ranges from 45-65 kg. A prospective mother who is underweight or overweight will put both the mother and the baby at risk. Overweight does have a negative impact on the mother and the fetus she is carrying both during pregnancy, childbirth, and after childbirth. The mother is at risk of developing hypertension and developing diabetes.

The myth that pregnant women eat for two people makes pregnant women eat in excess portions, so there is an accumulation of calories and remaining energy intake. Meanwhile, the food needs of pregnant women only increased by an average of 10-15 percent. After delivery, various complications still await. Infection after childbirth due to a lot of clogged blood vessels of the pregnant woman often occurs. In addition, multiple folds of fat in the skin layer are a conducive medium for the growth of germs so that infection is very likely to occur.

Another risk, the placenta which functions to supply oxygen will be narrowed due to fat, this can inhibit the baby's growth. The obstruction of the oxygen supply can damage the fetal brain cells, resulting in reduced intelligence of the child. Another bad possibility, the fetus can experience lung problems or be born obese.

For pregnant women who are overweight, it is recommended to walk in the morning or swim, which in addition to making women healthy can also burn cholesterol and fat in the body. Keep in mind, don't do strenuous exercise such as jogging or other vigorous exercise because it will harm the fetus, besides it results in too drastic destruction of fat and results in fat ketones poisoning the fetus.

Conversely, underweight conditions are also at risk where the baby's growth will be stunted, the threat of premature birth and the risk of defects in the baby. Pregnant women need to pay attention to eating nutritious foods that meet the requirements with balanced nutrition, stop smoking, drinking alcohol, taking unnecessary drugs and getting adequate rest. Another thing to remember is the adequacy of folic acid, if a deficiency will risk the occurrence of spina bifida, which is a condition in which the closure of the spinal cord is disrupted.

For underweight mothers, the recommended weight gain is 0.5 kg per week. Pregnant women need to consume carbohydrates, protein / amino acids; vitamins and minerals, as well as sufficient enzymes needed to maximize the process of absorption of nutrients by the body so that the mother's nutritional intake during pregnancy can be fulfilled.

For normal and obese mothers, the recommended increase is smaller, respectively 0.4 and 0.3 kg per week. high as foods that are sweet, fatty, fried, and foods high in cholesterol.

Fiber foods and fresh fruits are highly recommended because they can maintain a feeling of fullness longer, in addition to reducing cholesterol levels in the blood. Calorie restriction is still a controversy because, on the other hand, the fetus needs more nutrition where calorie reduction is feared to interfere with fetal development.