Table 4 Gestational weight gain recommendations by country
From: No global consensus: a cross-sectional survey of maternal weight policies
Country | Recommendations by pre-pregnancy BMI category* | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | <18.5 kg/m^2 | 18.5-24.9 kg/m^2 | 25-29.9 kg/m^2 | 30-34.9 kg/m^2 | 35-39.9 kg/m^2 | >40 kg/m^2 |
United States | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 16 | 7 - 11.5 | 5 - 9 | 5 - 9 | 5 - 9 |
Bulgaria | 12 - 18 | 11 - 16 | 7 - 11 | 5 - 9 | 5 - 8 | 5 - 8 |
Ghana | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 16 | 7 - 11.5 | 5 - 10 | 5 - 10 | 5 - 10 |
Italy | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 16 | 7 - 11.5 | 5 - 9 | 5 - 9 | 5 - 9 |
Canada | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 16 | 7 - 11.5 | 5 - 9 | 5 - 9 | 5- 9 |
Nicaragua | 12.7 - 18.1 | 11.3 - 15.9 | 6.8 - 11.3 | 5 - 9.1 | None given | None given |
Denmark | 13 - 18 | 10 - 15 | 8 - 10 | 6 - 9 | 6 - 9 | 6 - 9 |
Poland | 12.5 - 18 | 11.4 - 15.9 | 6.5 - 11.4 | 7 (upper limit) | 7 (upper limit) | 7 (upper limit) |
Romania | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 16 | 7 - 11.5 | 7 - 11.5 | 7 - 11.5 | 7 - 11.5 |
Switzerland | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 16 | 7 - 11.5 | 7 (upper limit) | 7 (upper limit) | 7 (upper limit) |
Brazil | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 16 | 7 - 11.5 | 7 (no range) | 7 (no range) | 7 (no range) |
Paraguay | 12.5 - 18 | 11.5 - 14 | 7 - 11.5 | 6 - 8 | None given | None given |
Iran | 12 - 18 | 9 - 14 | 7 - 11.5 | 6 (no range) | 6 (no range) | 6 (no range) |
China | 14 - 15 | 12 (no range) | 7 - 8 | 7 - 8 | 7 - 8 | 7 - 8 |
Croatia | 14 (upper limit) | 12 (upper limit) | 10 (upper limit) | 8 (lower limit) | 6 (lower limit) | 4 (lower limit) |
Cuba | 9.45 - 17 | 8.6 - 15.9 | 7.5 - 14 | 5.4 - 12.9 | 5.4 - 12.9 | 5.4 - 12.9 |
Japan | 9 - 12 | 7 - 12 | individual | individual | individual | individual |
Portugal | 6 - 12 | 5 - 10 | 5 - 7 | 5 - 7 | 5 - 7 | 5 (no range) |
Russia | 12 (no range) | 12 (no range) | 10 (no range) | 10 (no range) | 8 (no range) | 8 (no range) |
| Â | Recommendations by BMI at a specific gestational age chart | |||||
Argentina | Country-specific guideline chart | |||||
Bolivia | Rosso and Mardones†| |||||
Chile | Atalah, et al.§ | |||||
Ecuador | Rosso and Mardones†| |||||
Guatemala | Atalah, et al.§ | |||||
Honduras | Country-specific guideline chart | |||||
Peru | Rosso and Mardones†| |||||
Uruguay | Atalah, et al.§ | |||||
| Â | Other recommendations not based on body size | |||||
Burma | 1 kg per month from month 5 of gestation to term | |||||
France | Average gain around 12 kg | |||||
India | 10 - 12 kg | |||||
Oman | Client materials recommend gaining 9–15 kg | |||||
Vietnam | 9 - 12 kg | |||||
South Africa | Formal recommendation that women should not be given a guideline for weight gain in pregnancy | |||||