For a large percentage of women, the time when they gain the most weight is when they are pregnant. More than 25% of women gain more than 40 pounds during pregnancy. Typically, 18 to 20 pounds are due to the baby and pregnancy changes, so the rest of the weight gain (20+ pounds) will stay on your body after childbirth.

The Institute of Medicine now recommends the following guidelines for pregnancy weight gain, depending on body type, with the average being 30.5 pounds for women in the U.S:

Underweight Women 28-40 pounds
Normal Weight Women 25-35 pounds
Overweight Women 15-25 pounds
Obese Women 11-20 pounds

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