During pregnancy, the expectant mother needs to monitor her weight, not only her well-being, but also the condition of the fetus largely depends on this. Weighing should be carried out regularly, and not only during a visit to the antenatal clinic, as too rapid weight gain can be a consequence of swelling inside the body. Scales for pregnant women should not only record the weight as accurately as possible, but also be absolutely harmless. What measuring instruments are best used during this period?
Scales for pregnant women. Which to choose?
To measure weight at home, floor scales are usually used, which are of two types.
Mechanical
They are the most simple and affordable. Measuring actions are carried out due to the spring mechanism installed inside. The principle of operation of a mechanical balance is quite simple: under the influence of gravity of the body, the spring stretches and makes the arrow move on a scale. The value from one division to another usually corresponds to 1 kg, less often 0.5. The advantages of such measuring instruments include low cost, ease of use, accuracy of calculation, and durability. They do not contain batteries, therefore, nothing needs to be changed.
TIP! Before use, press the scales with your foot. The arrow should be at zero. When weighing, do not make sudden movements; stand straight and calm.
Electronic
The accuracy of such devices is significantly higher than that of mechanical counterparts. In addition, they may have other functions, which should include:
- luminous display with backlight numbers;
- computer analysis of growth and body parameters;
- hydrometer.
Among electronic scales, several subgroups can be distinguished:
- Simple, having mechanical insides and an informational digital display.
- Models with two different operating principles.
- A new generation of instruments with four sensors.
The first have a mounted drive. Their principle differs little from mechanical analogues, only the measurement results are displayed on the scoreboard.
For the second subgroup, the principle of an electric capacitor is used when two metal plates are located one above the other. Under the weight of the body, the gap between them changes and is transmitted to the microprocessor. The result is an electronic signal on a digital display.
The use of a voltage sensor has evolved in weighing technology. When exposed to the surface of the device, the wire is drawn in through which an electric current is passed, which leads to a change in the electrical signal. The microprocessor converts it to a numerical value and displays it.
REFERENCE! The principle of operation of new generation models is based on the work of 4 sensors, interconnected. They record the pressure on the balance and display the results through a microprocessor on the scoreboard.
What can pregnant scales
Modern devices can act as a home nutritionist, which gives practical recommendations based on body mass index and physical activity, determines the difference between weighings, gives graphic results. They turn on and off automatically, so pregnant women do not need to bend over and perform these actions manually.
Future mothers should not analyze the amount of water in the body, the ratio of fat and muscle mass. During pregnancy, these results will most often be issued with large errors. In addition, scales with such functions pass electrical impulses through the soles of the feet, which can be dangerous for the baby’s health. The instructions for the device usually indicate contraindications.
How much are
The cost of a weighing scale depends on the material from which it is made and the number of additional functions. The case may be metal, wood, glass or plastic. Weighing devices have load limits and various power sources, which also affects the price.
Smart battery-powered plastic scales cost from 3.7 thousand rubles.
The price range of devices with individual recommendations measuring twelve parameters of your body varies from 2.8 thousand rubles (mini version) to 6.5.
The most expensive models from 15.5 to 18.3 thousand rubles. not only perform a detailed analysis of your body, but also monitor the state of the cardiovascular system.
The choice of scales designed to monitor the change in weight of the future mother is huge. Therefore, it is best to immediately determine what is especially important and choose the model that will be convenient to use.
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