a. Normal weight gain is about 24 to 30 pounds during pregnancy.
b. Weight gain in pregnancy.
- (1) There is a slight loss of pounds during early pregnancy if the patient experiences much nausea and vomiting.
- (2) She then gains 2 to 4 pounds by the end of the first trimester.
- (3) A gain of a pound per week is expected during the second and third trimesters.
- (4) Monitoring of weight gain should be done in conjunction with close monitoring of blood pressure.
- (5) A lack of significant weight gain may be an indication of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) of the infant.
- (6) Patients with multiple fetuses will require a higher caloric diet and expect a higher weight gain than a patient with only one fetus.
c. Adequate protein intake should be emphasized to the patient for development of the healthy fetus and proper diet reviewed at each prenatal visit.
