Getty Images/Bauer Griffin
-
Parenting
Pregnancy Health
-
Parenting
Pregnancy Health
-
Entertainment
Photos
Rachel Zoe and Victoria Beckham are the two of the latest super-skinny celebrities to announce their pregnancies. While we’re thrilled for them, we couldn’t help but look at their figures and wonder: Can a woman that improbably thin have a healthy pregnancy?
Jeanne Conry, MD, PhD, OB/GYN and chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) District 9 in California, says yes, as long as they're otherwise healthy. “If a woman is naturally petite, we tell her to expect a slightly higher-than-average weight gain, and to keep up her exercise and healthy eating," says Dr. Conry. "If a woman starts her pregnancy at a lower-than-average weight and gains the right amount, she should be fine.” (Which explains how Beckham has already had three healthy pregnancies.)
ACOG guidelines say that if you’re underweight, you should gain between 28 and 40 pounds during pregnancy. An average-weight woman’s target range is 25 to 35 pounds, and overweight women should try to gain 15 to 25 pounds.
Of course, many super-skinny starlets also return to their pre-pregnancy weight very quickly. “I tell women their uterus takes six weeks to get back into [its previous] shape, and that overall... it will take a year to lose the weight,” Dr. Conry says.
How did you make sure you gained weight healthfully while you were pregnant? Chime in below!
