Gaining 17 kilograms during pregnancy is within the recommended range if the pregnant woman was underweight when she became pregnant, that is, if her pre-pregnancy BMI was less than 18.5. In this case, it is recommended that the pregnant woman gain between 12.5 and 18 kg.
However, if the pregnant woman was normally overweight (BMI 18.5-24.9), the recommended range of kilos to be gained during pregnancy is 11.5 to 16 kg.
Similarly, if the woman was overweight (BMI 25-29.9), it is recommended that she put on between 7 and 11.5 kg during pregnancy and, if she was obese (BMI over 30), only 5-9 kg.