Table 1.

	Gestational weight gain	Gestational diabetes	Hypertensive disorders
Maternal impact	Strong predictor of short- and long-term health outcomes (adverse cardio-metabolic sequelae by midlife) Increases risk of gestational diabetes or worsening pregestational diabetes Increases risk of hypertensive disorders Weight retention postpartum	Increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia Increased risk of cesarean delivery Increases likelihood of future GDM as well as type 2 diabetes in next 5–10 years	Complicate up to 10% of pregnancies A leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality End-organ damage (renal, heart, brain) Preeclampsia is a predictor of future cardiovascular and metabolic diseases
Pregnancy outcome	Increased delivery complications Increased cesarean delivery	Increased polyhydramnios Increased preterm labor Increased risk of shoulder dystocia (resulting in potential neonatal injury) Increased cesarean delivery	Preterm delivery Increased complications, including placental abruption Increased cesarean delivery Increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage
Offspring impact	Greater birthweight (large for gestational age, macrosomia) Strong predictor of short- and long-term health outcomes Increased BMI in offspring in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood Increased blood pressure in childhood through adulthood	Macrosomia Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) Cardiac septal hypertrophy Hypoxia at delivery Metabolic complications Increased risk of childhood obesity Increased risk of diabetes in adolescence and early adulthood	Increased morbidity and mortality, primarily resulting from complications of prematurity Fetal growth restriction
Effect of exercise	Physical activity during pregnancy may be successful in restricting GWG.46 Positively affects other maternal metabolic health parameters (and likely offspring’s health parameters also)	Physical activity before or during early pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of GDM.47 Possibly improved glucose homeostasis and enhanced insulin sensitivity in offspring of exercisers.	Insufficient data Small studies have suggested a possible reduction in preeclampsia in women who are physically active.