OBJETIVE: The purpose of the study was to discuss bodily changes perceived by pregnant adolescent girls and their opinion in regard to such changes. METHODS: Data was collected through interviews based on questionnaires and applied to 132 pregnant teenagers in three different public institutions in Goiânia from 1996 to 1997. A family support scale was also applied and another attitude in relation to weight gain. RESULTS: Pregnant teenagers were, in average, 16 years old, 64% of them were married and 78% were not studying. Data from the family support scale has indicated positive support to the pregnant women. The chief bodily changes observed were in the breasts, weight, and in the abdomen or belly. The most desirable change involved the growth of the belly, perhaps on account of the role maternity plays in society; and the least desirable ones were the augmented breasts. A statistically significant deviation (p<0.05) was found regarding the gap between the weight evaluation prior to pregnancy and the weight gained, once that 92 percent expressed positive attitudes in regard to weight gain. CONCLUSION: Proper health-center guidance during prenatal care should range from the interaction between the pregnant teenager and the universe where she lives and assistance in the perception of changes her body is undergoing.
pregnant; adolescent; body; weight gain; pregnancy in adolescence
