Go Easy on Pregnancy Weight Gain, Say Docs

The current guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy may be contributing to the nation's obesity epidemic, some doctors say, and radical changes in the recommendations are under consideration. Docs say a revision is long overdue, the AP reports. "Most of us think overall the weight gain recommendations are too high," says a Yale med school expert.

Current US guidelines suggest gaining 15 to 40 pounds, depending on the woman's pre-pregnancy weight, but the folk wisdom "eat for two" is tenacious. Excess weight gain during pregnancy can result in overweight babies, labor problems, and birth defects. A private advisory group will begin collecting hard numbers this fall in hopes of reducing complications for both moms and kids. (More pregnancy stories.)