Adolescence

Adequate nutrient intake is of special concern for the pregnant adolescent. In addition to the nutrients needed to support a healthy pregnancy, nutrients are also needed for the adolescent’s growth and development. In addition, nutrient intakes of many adolescents are inadequate. (Williamson, 2006; Kaiser, 2002) See Module 2, Nutrition and Normal Pregnancy for a brief discussion of the nutrient needs for pregnancy during adolescence.