A woman with a BMI of 18 gains 25 lbs during her pregnancy. What risk does this pregnancy face?

A woman with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 18 is considered underweight. Weight gain during pregnancy is crucial for both the mother's health and the development of the fetus. The recommended weight gain for underweight women is typically between 28-40 pounds. Gaining only 25 pounds may not meet the recommended criteria for healthy fetal growth, which can increase the risk of low birth weight in the infant.

Low birth weight occurs when an infant is born weighing less than 5 pounds 8 ounces. This can happen for various reasons, including inadequate maternal nutrition and insufficient weight gain during pregnancy. Infants born with low birth weight may face a range of health issues, including developmental delays and increased risk for chronic conditions later in life. Therefore, given the scenario of an underweight mother who gains a limited amount of weight during pregnancy, the likelihood of delivering a low birthweight infant is heightened, making that the most significant risk in this situation.

In contrast, the other options may be associated with different BMI categories or weight gain scenarios, but are not the primary concern here. For instance, the other conditions such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes often correlate with excessive weight gain or higher pre-pregnancy BMI levels. Thus