A birthing parentās weight before, during and after pregnancy affects the health of both the birthing parent and the baby. Birthing parents who are overweight or obese before becoming pregnant and/or gain excessive weight during pregnancy have increased risk for numerous adverse health conditions such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, cesarean delivery and hypertension. Gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy is important to support a child's health and adult health in the next generation.
The Maternal, Child and Adolescent Division is working to increase the percent of birthing parents with recommended weight gain during pregnancy by employing the following strategies:
Healthy Weight for Healthy Birth and Beyond: A data brief addressing the rising percent of individuals going into pregnancy obese or overweight and an increasing percent of individuals gaining excess weight during pregnancy.
In 2018, more than half (53%) of individuals who experienced a live birth were overweight or obese prior to pregnancy. Gaining an appropriate amount of weight during pregnancy is the first step in supporting and nurturing a childās health throughout their lifespan and into the next generation.
As excess weight of a birthing parent before and during her pregnancy increases the risk for gestational diabetes, please see California Diabetes, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Care for more information and gestational diabetes in pregnancy trend maps.
For information on Multiple Factors Affect Birthing Parentsā Weight and resources on supporting healthy weight before and during pregnancy, click on links below.
Recommended community strategies and measurements to prevent obesity in the United States
The CDC Guide (PDF) to Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in the Community
The CDC Guide (PDF) to Strategies to Support Breastfeeding Mothers and Babies
Weight Gain During Pregnancy : This CDC web page includes pregnancy weight gain recommendations and steps you can take to meet your pregnancy weight gain goal.