Smoking and pregnancy outcome of adolescents.

The interrelationship between dietary intake, smoking behavior, and weight again during pregnancy was studied and compared with pregnancy outcomes of infant birth weight and Apgar scores of infants born to smokers. Nonsmokers (N = 28) and smokers (N = 39) were volunteers attending secondary schools in an urban area. Both groups received prenatal and tertiary care at free or reduced fees and participated in free lunch and other assistance programs at their schools. Smoking was not statistically related to maternal weight gain, infant birth weight, dietary inadequacy, or Apgar scores. Smoking was significantly related to low pregravid weight (P less than or equal to .05). Dietary iron and folic acid were deficient in both groups. Snacking represented a major source of calories, and 25-50% of foods consumed were eaten away from home.