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Being at a healthy weight has many lifelong benefits. When planning a pregnancy, being at a healthy weight can help you conceive, have less complications in pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby. Healthy weight planning is a long-term thing - dieting in pregnancy to achieve a lower weight is not a good idea for you or your growing baby.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of your weight in relation to your height and is considered to be the best pre-pregnancy weight measure available. Having excess weight before pregnancy, particularly a BMI over 30, can increase your risk of some health problems. For more information on pre-pregnancy weight, risks of obesity in pregnancy and how to calculate your BMI see the links below.
- The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada - Pre-pregnancy weight and obesity
- Best Start by Health Nexus - Healthy eating and weight gain before and during pregnancy
- Government of Canada - Pregnancy weight gain calculator