Overview
- An international Monash University review pooling 1.6 million pregnancies found only about one third of women gained within recommended ranges.
- Gaining too little was linked to roughly 60% higher risk of preterm birth, with more small-for-gestational-age infants and neonatal breathing problems.
- Excessive gain was associated with more hypertension and gestational diabetes and about a 37% higher likelihood of caesarean delivery, including more macrosomic births.
- Existing reference ranges from the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, last updated in 2009 and derived from narrow cohorts, do not reflect today’s diverse maternal populations.
- WHO and study collaborators report regional variation in risks and call for region-sensitive guidance plus practical support such as individualized nutrition counseling, exercise programs and closer prenatal monitoring.