Nutrient Intake and Prevalence of Anemia Among Pregnant Adolescents

ISBN-13: 9783659440373 / Angielski / Miękka / 2013 / 124 str.

Everlyn Mulunji; Lucy Mutuli

Opis

Adolescent pregnancy associated with significant nutritional, medical, economic and social risks is a major public health issue globally both to the mother and infant. An adequate supply of nutrients is required to maintain the delicate balance between the needs of the mother and those of the foetus. Inadequate supply will result in a state of biological competition between the mother and the foetus in which the well-being of both is at serious risk. The aim of this Cross sectional study was to determine adequacy of nutrient intake and prevalence of anaemia in pregnant adolescent girls. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Intake of proteins, energy, calcium, iron, vitamin C and folate nutrients of study participants was significantly below the Recommended Daily Allowance and over 60% of the participants were anaemic. Appropriate policy intervention to address adolescent nutrition and reproductive health need to be initiated by the government.