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Keeping a healthy weight before pregnancy

Being a healthy weight is important before pregnancy. Being over or under weight can reduce your chance of becoming pregnant and mean that you may be at risk of complications before, during and after your pregnancy.

To check if you are a healthy weight, you will need to know your weight and height. A healthy weight range is usually estimated using the Body Mass Index (BMI). A BMI between 18.5 and 25 is a healthy weight for most people.

If you are underweight, find out more about eating a range of foods to help you gain weight.

If you are overweight or obese, try to lose some weight before becoming pregnant. Women who are overweight or obese while pregnant have a greater risk of problems such as high blood pressure, miscarriage, blood clots or diabetes. There is help available in the borough if you are trying to lose weight.

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