Starting at a Healthy Weight
Your health-care provider will discuss your weight at your preconception checkup. If you are over- or underweight, she will probably advise you to try to get your weight within a healthy range before trying to get pregnant.
Being underweight or overweight can make it more difficult to get pregnant and can also affect your chances for a healthy pregnancy. To find out a healthy weight for your body, you need to figure out your body mass index (BMI). Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared. Take this subtotal and multiply it by 703. This is your BMI.
Next, you need to determine where your BMI falls within these ranges:
18.5 or less: Underweight
18.5 to 24.9: Normal
25.0 to 29.9: Overweight
30.0 to 39.9: Obese
40 or greater: Extremely obese
You can use an online calculator or chart to determine your BMI. Your doctor will most likely have a chart in the office for your reference.
Some women feel frustrated when their physician recommends waiting to become pregnant until they are at a healthy weight. If you are close to your ideal weight, taking a month or two to reach it may not be a problem. But if you are worried that time is running out on your fertility, talk to your doctor about how your weight can be managed during pregnancy so that you can get started trying immediately.
