Nutrition in teenage pregnancy.

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood, with increased nutritional requirements to support growth and development (Owen, Kendau & Wilken, 1997; Story & Hermanson, 2000). Coupling pregnancy and adolescence at this stage of growth, can lead to health and behavioural risks, since when needs are highest, many teenagers are dieting, snacking, consuming fast foods and skipping meals (Mathews, Yudkin & Neil, 1999). This, together with the rise in number of teenage pregnancy locally, has increased interest in researching this area. A simple descriptive design was conducted at "Ghozza", a section of the Guidance and Counselling Services in the Department of Student Services and International Relations of the Education Division, which provide support and education on pregnancy to unmarried pregnant minors. This study aimed to identify pregnant teenagers' knowledge on nutrition during pregnancy and their actual food intake, through the use of a questionnaire and a three-day food diary. Knowledge on nutrition seems to be limited amongst these pregnant teenagers, with inadequate knowledge on the 'Food Guide Pyramid' and the nutrients found in food, together with their function in pregnancy. Furthermore, the food diary showed that the participants were not consuming foods in concordance to the recommended daily intake of the macro and micronutrients. Thus, findings suggest the need for more education on nutrition during pregnancy amongst these pregnant teenagers.