Nutritional support for the pregnant adolescent

Micronutrient Dietary Intake in Latina Pregnant Adolescents and Its Association with Level of Depression, Stress, and Social Support

Adolescent pregnant women are at greater risk for nutritional deficits, stress, and depression than their adult counterparts, and these risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes are likely interrelated. This study evaluated the prevalence of nutritional deficits in pregnant teenagers and assessed the associations among micronutrient dietary intake, stress, and depression. One hundred and eight pregnant Latina adolescents completed an Automated Self-Administered 24-hour dietary recall (ASA24) in the 2nd trimester. Stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale and the Prenatal Distress Questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale. Social support satisfaction was measured using the Social Support Questionnaire. More than 50% of pregnant teenagers had an inadequate intake (excluding dietary supplement) of folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. Additionally, >20% of participants had an inadequate intake of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, copper, and selenium. Prenatal supplement inclusion improved dietary intake for most micronutrients except for calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous, (>50% below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)) and for copper and selenium (>20% below the EAR). Higher depressive symptoms were associated with higher energy, carbohydrates, and fats, and lower magnesium intake. Higher social support satisfaction was positively associated with dietary intake of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and zinc. The findings suggest that mood and dietary factors are associated and should be considered together for health interventions during adolescent pregnancy for the young woman and her future child.

Pregnancy increases BMI in adolescents of a population-based birth cohort

Evidence from developed countries suggests that adolescents grow while pregnant and that their growth is associated with increased weight gain and fat storage, but this has never been examined in girls from developing countries. Adolescents born in 1982 in Pelotas, Brazil, are being followed in a birth cohort study. Information on social and biological determinants of nutritional status was collected in early life. Both in 1997 and in 2001, 464 girls were located through household visits, 16% of whom had had a pregnancy in this period. Changes in height, weight, and BMI between 1997 and 2001 were analyzed in relation to the occurrence of pregnancy, after adjustment for previous anthropometric status, as well as social and biological characteristics. The average gains were 2.0 +/- 2.0 cm in height, 3.1 +/- 5.9 kg in weight, and 0.7 +/- 2.2 kg/m(2) in BMI. Each pregnancy was associated with a reduction of 0.46 cm on height gain from 1997 to 2001 (P = 0.02). Girls who became pregnant gained 2.25 kg more than all others (P = 0.004). There was a clear association between pregnancy and BMI change. A single pregnancy was associated with an increase of 0.81 kg/m(2) (P = 0.01) and 2 or more pregnancies were associated with an increase of 1.58 kg/m(2) (P = 0.02). Teenage pregnancy was associated with an important increase in BMI. Given the growing epidemic of obesity in low- and middle-income countries, particularly among women, efforts to reduce teenage pregnancy may also contribute to preventing overweight.