Inadequate pregnancy weight gain a risk factor for infant mortality

Women who do not gain enough weight during their pregnancy are at an increased risk of losing their baby in the first year of its life.

Almost 160,000 women were examined in the study and of that one quarter gained too little weight during pregnancy. These women were more likely to give birth to babies who died in their first year of life compared to those who gained a normal or excessive amount of weight.

Researchers suggest that pregnant women should eat appropriate amounts of healthy foods and engage in a reasonable amount of physical activity to ensure the health of their child.