Nutritional Practices and Maternal Outcomes Among Pregnant Adolescents in Umuahia, Abia State

Adolescent pregnancy presents heightened nutritional risks as the young mother must meet the competing nutritional demands of her own growth and the developing foetus. This study investigates nutritional practices and associated maternal outcomes among pregnant adolescents aged 15 to 19 years attending antenatal care at Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Abia State, South East Nigeria. Adolescent mothers are at greater risk of anaemia, low gestational weight gain, and adverse birth outcomes compared to adult mothers, yet their specific nutritional needs are rarely addressed in standard antenatal nutrition programmes. A hospital-based descriptive study was conducted with 150 pregnant adolescents in their second or third trimester. Structured interviews assessed dietary practices, food frequency, supplement adherence, and awareness of nutritional requirements during pregnancy. Anthropometric measurements including pre-pregnancy weight by recall, current weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, and haemoglobin concentration were recorded. Maternal outcomes including gestational weight gain, anaemia status, and birth weight records were obtained from clinical files with consent. Findings are expected to show poor dietary diversity, inadequate gestational weight gain, and high anaemia prevalence among this group. The study recommends age-appropriate nutrition counselling and adolescent-responsive antenatal care services in Abia State. Keywords: adolescent pregnancy, nutritional practices, maternal outcomes, Umuahia, anaemia.