
Human beings maintain good health through practices such as eating balanced diets. Pregnant mothers need perfect nutrition not only for themselves, but also for their unborn babies too. The period not long before the birth of a child is referred to as the antepartum period, where mothers are encouraged to eat healthy diets to ensure the development and delivery of a child. Medical practitioners term nutrition as one among significant factors that contribute to a successful child delivery. According to Clark (2020), eating a balanced diet will provide nutrients for both the mother and the child. However, ladies are still exposed to malnutrition practices that are caused by various factors such as the level of income, awareness, and illness history. This essay discusses the risk factors of age, cultural, lifestyle, socio economic, and dietary complications during the pregnancy period.
Nutritional Risk Factors
Age-related Factor: Teenage
The age of a pregnant mother can have a significant impact on the nutrition habits. Young girls, especially under the age of 20 are associated with poor eating habits (Nana & Zema, 2018). Stickler states that teenage mothers are at a higher risk than those over 20. Pregnant mothers require a variety of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for both body and child development. Teenagers like eating snacks and a lot of starch foods such as fries, thus leaving their bodies imbalanced with nutrients. It would definitely be hard for a teenager to strictly follow a diet schedule compared to a mature woman of about 30 years. Because nutrients are not produced naturally, one must obtain them through eating. When the body does not receive enough nutrients, that is a nutritional deficiency (Nana & Zema, 2018). Teen-aged mothers get exposed to risks such as low birth-weight and premature delivery due to poor nutrition habits during the antepartum period.