Does Health Canada provide special advice for weight gain during pregnancy for women with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater?
The recommended weight gain ranges for pre-pregnancy BMIs of 30 or greater is 5 to 9 kg or 11 to 20 lbs. This range is recommended as a starting point to set weight gain goals for women with a BMI of 35 or greater. For some of these women, it may be acceptable to gain less than the recommended weight. However, it is important that a woman and her health care provider consider the risks and benefits to mother and child of gaining less than 5 kg or 11 lbs throughout pregnancy.