A latest study shows that women who do not gain adequate weight during pregnancy have higher chances of losing their babies in the first year.
Researchers in the University of Maryland School of Public Health (UMD SPH) studied the association between gestational weight gain, mothers' body mass index (BMI) before and during pregnancy and infant mortality rates.
The study authors found that gaining little weight during pregnancy increases infant mortality chances. However, for already overweight women the researchers stated that there was no risk of losing their babies. But being obese could lead to further maternal health problems.
"It is important that childbearing women have pregnancy weight gain goals that are specific to their individual BMI," explained lead study author Dr Sandra Hofferth in a press release.
The researchers examined the data collected from 159,244 mothers who gave birth to live, single babies between 2004 and 2008.
According to guidelines published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), underweight women are required to gain between 28 and 40 pounds during pregnancy, while normal weight women are expected to gain 25-35 pounds, overweight women 15-25 pounds, and obese women 11-20 pounds.
They found that infant mortality risks were 3.9 per cent among infants of mothers who gained an inadequate weight during pregnancy, 1.2 per cent among infants of mothers who gained an adequate amount of weight, and .7 per cent among mothers who gained more than the recommended amount.
The study authors stated that pre-pregnancy BMI of women was an important factor in infant survival. Mothers who were underweight before pregnancy and gained too little weight during pregnancy had six times the normal rate of infant mortality.
