Overweight and obesity are considered to be among the most neglected global health problems despite being the sixth most important contributor to worldwide burden of disease. While these conditions were once only a problem for developed nations, they have recently expanded to affect developing countries where their prevalence is on the rise. Overweight and obesity are especially problematic during pregnancy, when the effects of poor nutritional status extend beyond those of adverse maternal health outcomes to include a potential negative impact on the health of the fetus as well. This brief summarizes the available evidence on the effectiveness of counseling on excess weight gain during pregnancy and provides recommendations that can be of practical use to antenatal care programs in developing countries.