Is nutrition deficiency a key factor of adverse outcomes for pregnant adolescents?

Adolescent pregnancy (teenage pregnancy) is a high-risk condition associated with adverse outcome, not only for the mother but also for the newborn child. One report showed that teenage pregnancy was associated with adverse maternal outcomes, because teenage mothers had a higher risk of severe perineal tear during labor than adult mothers [odds ratio (OR) 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95e2.70]. Another report showed that younger pregnant women had a significantly increased risk of development of striae gravidarum than older pregnant women. Striae gravidarum results in itching and discomfort and produces significant psychological burden in affected women. In terms of adverse fetal outcomes, teenage mothers were more likely to have infants with low body weight (<2500 g; OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.3e6.1, p < 0.006), preterm babies (<37 weeks of gestational age; OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.0e3.4, p < 0.003), and lower 5-minute Apgar scores (OR 1.7, 95% CI 0.9e3.0, p 1⁄4 0.05) compared to adult mothers. These reports reinforce the assertion that pregnant adolescents are at an increased risk for adverse outcomes. Palpably worse outcomes for both infant and mother have been noted in adolescent pregnancy by many studies, including: (1) an increase of fetal death, neonatal death, low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation, prematurity; and (2) an increase of severe perineal laceration and a tendency to result in permanent body image changes, such as occurrence of striae gravidarum, and an increase of maternal mortality. The results of these studies all suggest that health during and after adolescent pregnancy is an important issue that requires additional efforts to improve outcomes. Major underlying causes for worse outcome of both mothers and fetuses include: (1) unintended, unwanted, and unsupported pregnancy; (2) poor maternal nutrition; (3) not securing adequate care during the course of pregnancy; (4) labor without assistance by experienced obstetricians; and (5) not securing proper postpartum maternal and newborn care. In addition, adolescent mothers were more likely to be unemployed, unmarried, and less educated than the adult mothers, and low socioeconomic status subsequently results in inadequate prenatal care, including poor nutrition support. In fact, malnutrition might be very common in adolescent pregnancy. A recent review article focusing on adolescent