Abstract: Background: Nutrition is vital to human existence and for the proper performance of all human body functions. Therefore, the body needs healthy, safe and rich food for healthy development across the life span. Food is critical for stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth and lowering the risks of non-communicable diseases. The net effect of nutritional status on age at marriage and age at first birth is highly significant because there is strong connection between poverty and teenage pregnancy in early marriages of girls in under-developed and developing countries.
Objectives: This narrative study highlighted the roles of healthy diets to individuals across different ages but with in-depth emphasis on pregnant women especially the adolescence, a critical stage in life with all its peculiarities.
Method: There were deep reviews of previous literatures on nutrition at the global, continental and national levels as it relates to pregnancy where references were made using Mendeley reference library.
Result: The study revealed the importance of adequate and healthy nutrition to life at all stages essentially during adolescence. Records showed that many pregnant women had anemia because of poor diets due to poverty and lack of adequate knowledge on dietary requirements during pregnancy. Pregnancy anemia in 5 African countries was 41.2% - 57.1% where Nigeria had (46.2%) while the globally range was 30 – 88% and the rate in African continent was 50%. Also, prevalence of anemia amongst women were 29.6% (95% UI 26.6%, 32.5%) in non-pregnant women of reproductive age (15-49), and 36.5% (95% UI 34.0%, 39.1%) in pregnant women.
Conclusion: Good nutritional status for the pregnant adolescent is important due to the competitive nature between the pregnant mother and the fetus she is carrying for nutrients. Therefore, efforts should be made to guarantee what needs for the optimal health because what one eats and how one eats plays pivotal role in the management of health problems and stressful situations.
