Girls between the ages of 15 and 19 gave birth to 409,840 infants in 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teenage pregnancy carries more health risks because many pregnant teens don't receive adequate prenatal care. A well-rounded diet is crucial for a healthy pregnancy, but pregnant teenagers often have unhealthy eating habits that affect their caloric intake, regularity of meals and nutrient quality.
Calories
Pregnancy can be an emotionally challenging time for teen girls. Teens typically already are conscious of their appearance and might try to diet to reduce weight gain, but dieting can be harmful to their babies, so pregnant teens need to be educated on the risks and consequences of dieting. On the other hand, teens might use pregnancy as an excuse to eat anything they want, including unhealthy foods, and experience unnecessary weight gain. A healthy teenager girl of normal size should gain between 25 and 35 lbs. during pregnancy, much of which is not fat. A pregnant woman needs about 300 extra calories per day.
Meal Skipping
Like other teens, pregnant teens have a tendency to skip meals because they are busy, have a limited supply of food, or don't know how to prepare food themselves. A study published in 1998 in the "Journal of Adolescent Health" showed that 20 percent of youth skipped lunch. Skipping meals can lead to a decrease in calorie, calcium and protein intake.
Snacking
According to the University of Minnesota's "Nutrition and the Pregnant Adolescent," 25 percent to 30 percent of a teen's energy intake comes from snacks. Teens often replace servings of fruits and vegetables with unhealthy snack products like chips, ice cream and candy. High-fat and -sugar foods are not conducive to a healthy pregnancy, and replacement of fruits and vegetables might lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Snacks aren't all bad, though, as some provide nutrients like thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin C.
Calcium
Some teen girls might not be getting enough calcium. Servings of soda have replaced servings of milk for many teenagers. Calcium is crucial for formation of both the mother and the baby's bones and teeth. Pregnant women under 18 years old need 1,300 mg of calcium per day.
References
- Kids Health: When Your Teen is Having a Baby
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System; Nutrition for the Teenage Mother to Be; J. Yvonne Jackson
- University of Minnesota; Nutrition and the Pregnant Adolescent; Mary Story, et al.
- Journal of Adolescent Health; Three Squares or Mostly Snacks - What Do Teens Really Eat? A "Sociodemographic Study of Meal Patterns"; A. M. Siega-Riz, et al.; 1998
- Baby Center: Calcium in Your Pregnancy Diet
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Teen Pregnancy
