[Weight gain pattern in normal pregnant women].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the maternal weight gain pattern of normal pregnant women.


METHODS
One thousand five hundred and sixty-two (1,562) women, with 11,059 records, received prenatal care and had their babies delivered at the Second Hospital of West China University of Medical Sciences during the period of Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1995. All the women without complications and with their babies weighted between 2,500-3,999 g were included, and data was analyzed.


RESULTS
The average age was 26.49 +/- 3.02 and height 158.69 +/- 4.85 cm. The women were divided into three categories according to their prepregnant body mass index (BMI): underweight (< 16.75), normal weight (16.75-23.71) and overweight (> 23.71). The BMIs of each categories increased as gestational week approached to the term, with total BMI increase as 8.07, 5.37, 3.82 for underweight, normal weight and overweight, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
BMI, calculated with weight and height, is more accurate to assess maternal weight gain than weight alone do, and above results and accompanied charts could be used to monitor maternal weight gain as a reference.
Xiong
Q
Q
Second Hospital, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu.
Liang
J
J
Shi
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015430:Weight Gain