Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent among pregnant African American adolescents.

Study Objective: Recent attention has focused on vitamin D insufficiency but few data exist on vitamin D status among pregnant minority youth.

Design: A screening study was undertaken in adolescents having prenatal blood samples drawn for other routine tests obtained during the second trimester (18+/-1.8 week gestation, n=44) or third trimester of pregnancy (28.

High gestational weight gain does not improve birth weight in a cohort of African American adolescents.

Background: Because pregnant African American women and teens are at risk of low birth weight, they are frequently counseled to strive for gestational weight gains at the upper limits of the Institute of Medicine's recommended ranges.

Objective: The objective was to examine whether such weight gains improve birth outcomes in a cohort of disadvantaged African American adolescents of low (<19.8), average (> or =19.

Iron deficiency anemia and depleted body iron reserves are prevalent among pregnant African-American adolescents.

Anemia is prevalent among pregnant adolescents, but few data exist on biochemical indicators of iron status in this group. We hypothesized that among an at-risk population of African-American, pregnant adolescents, the degree of iron depletion and deficiency would be marked, and that iron deficiency anemia would comprise the majority of the observed anemia. To examine this, blood samples were collected from 80 girls (< or =18 y old) attending an inner city maternity clinic, 23 of whom were studied longitudinally in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters depending on contact at the clinic.

Calcium absorption is significantly higher in adolescents during pregnancy than in the early postpartum period.

Background: Early childbearing may limit skeletal consolidation and increase calcium demands in adolescents.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize calcium absorption in pregnant and lactating adolescents.

Design: Fractional calcium absorption was evaluated in 23 adolescents (mean +/- SD age: 16.

Characteristics and risk factors for adverse birth outcomes in pregnant black adolescents.

Objectives: To describe maternal characteristics and birth outcomes in a group of pregnant minority adolescents and to characterize the impact of maternal age (<15 years versus 15-17 years) on birth outcomes.

Study Design: A 10-year retrospective chart review was conducted in 1120 pregnant black adolescents (< or =17 years of age) who had received prenatal care at an inner-city maternity clinic in Baltimore, Md.

Results: Pregnant black adolescents had a higher incidence of low birth weight infants, preterm delivery, and fetal death compared with normative data from the United States.

Hemoglobin concentrations influence birth outcomes in pregnant African-American adolescents.

Relationships between hemoglobin concentrations and birth outcomes have not been well characterized in African-American adolescents despite the fact that this group is at a higher risk of early childbearing. To address this issue, we characterized the prevalence of anemia and maternal factors associated with anemia in pregnant African-American adolescents. A retrospective medical chart review was undertaken of 918 adolescents who had received prenatal care at an inner-city maternity clinic between 1990 and 2000.

Fetal femur length is influenced by maternal dairy intake in pregnant African American adolescents.

Background: Pregnant adolescents may compete with their developing fetuses for the nutrients required for optimal bone mineralization.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect in pregnant African American adolescents of maternal dairy intake at entry into prenatal care on fetal femur development between 20 and 34 wk of gestation.

Design: A 10-y retrospective chart review was carried out in 1120 pregnant African American adolescents ( View Article and Find Full Text PDF