Some women dread the fact that they will gain weight during pregnancy. Others don't mind so much; they understand it's just something they have to endure for the joy of a new child. No matter which group you might find yourself in, here is some helpful information that might answer any questions you have concerning pregnancy weight gain. We call these our Top 15 Facts About Pregnancy Weight Gain.

1. If you're normal size before your pregnancy, you should gain between 25 and 37 pounds, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

2. If you're underweight, you should expect to gain between 28 and 40 pounds (unless your doctor says otherwise).

3. If you're overweight, expect to gain 15 to 25 pounds (again, unless your doctor says otherwise).

4. A key to gaining the right amount of weight is eating healthy, well-rounded meals.

5. A well-rounded meal should consist of three servings from the milk / dairy group, three servings of fruit, three servings protein, four servings from the vegetable family, and from the whole-grain family, nine servings.

6. The baby should gain around 7 1/2 pounds by the end of your pregnancy.

7. The placenta weighs around 1 1/2 pounds.

8. You can attribute 4 pounds to an increase in fluid volume.

9. The weight of your breast tissue will be about 2 pounds.

10. The uterus weight will be about 2 pounds.

11. Your stores of protein, fat and other nutrients will account for about 7 pounds.

12. About 4 pounds will be due to an increase in your blood volume.

13. Amniotic fluid will provide about 2 pounds.

14. All of these add up to a total of about 30 extra pounds.

15. Broken up by trimester, expect to gain three to five pounds in the first trimester - early pregnancy; one to two pounds in the second; and one to two in the third trimester.