La alimentación de la gestante adolescente: el cambio favorable

the purpose of this limited scope, qualitative and ethnographic study is to describe the meaning of self-care for a group of pregnant adolescents and their unborn child, in relation to their diet, based on their practices, beliefs and cultural values, and who attended a prenatal checkup at the primary care unit (upa) of candelaria la nueva, vista hermosa hospital, ciudad bolívar, district number 19 de bogotá, in 2007. the information contributed by eight first time pregnant adolescents between 17 and 19 years of age, who were between their fourth and sixth month of gestation, with no associated pathologies, who attended the first prenatal checkup, selected intentionally and that were willing to participate in the research (prior informed consent). the data collection was carried out through a non-structured ethnographic interview;. the result obtained was the meaning of care in pregnant adolescents. three large positive benefits of maternal nutrition care were contributed namely: change of food habits, feed herself to protect the health of the unborn child, and feed herself to protect her own health. said results, combined in the cultural environment of the pregnant adolescents, enables exploring and knowing the way they take care of themselves through practices supported on information such as knowledge and reason, and the employment of the artifacts they use.