Watch Your Weight

You may want to keep a close eye on the scale during pregnancy.

You may want to keep a close eye on the scale during pregnancy. According to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, gaining more than the recommended amount (no more than 35 pounds for a normal-weight woman) is associated with worse outcomes in newborns, including lower Apgar scores, seizures, infection, the need for breathing assistance and too-high birth weight. The risk of multiple bad outcomes also increases in moms who gain less than 15 pounds. The scientists found that over 43 percent of women put on more pregnancy weight than guidelines suggest, while 20 percent failed to gain the recommended amount.