Aim for a healthy weight before becoming pregnant. A healthy eating plan and staying active can help with weight management. The weight gain recommended for pregnancy depends on your weight range before you conceive. It is a good idea to have a review with an accredited practising dietitian for guidance on pregnancy-specific nutrition needs and your personal weight gain target. Some weight gain is expected with a healthy pregnancy. It is not advisable to try and lose weight while you are pregnant. However, you also need to take care not to ‘eat for two’ and continue to be active during pregnancy. The table below shows the recommended weight gain targets for pregnancy depending on your pre-pregnancy weight. This is calculated using your Body Mass Index (BMI) which is your weight (kg) divided by your height (m) x height (m). Your weight should be checked regularly throughout your pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy BMIWeight rangeRecommended pregnancy weight gain<18.5underweight12.5–18kg18.5–24.9healthy weight11.5–16kg25–29.9overweight7–11.5kg>30obese5–9kgRecommended weight gain targets for pregnancy Related resources Healthy eating in pregnancy Staying active during pregnancy
