Have specialized nutrition programs for pregnant adolescents improved birth outcomes?
Some specialized nutritional services have also resulted in improved outcomes for young women: • A survey in Nigeria found that pregnant adolescents who had received antimalarial drugs and iron and folic acid supplements during the second half of pregnancy had a reduced incidence of cephalopelvic disproportion. 2 • In the United States, a group of pregnant adolescents who had received calorie, protein, vitamin, and mineral supplements gave birth to infants with a significantly higher mean weight than a group that had received no supplements; larger beneficial effects were observed among girls under 16.
