Pregnant adolescents report infrequent use of sugar substitutes

The participants were not using sugar substitutes and, given their reported weight gain, they did not need to restrict their caloric intake during pregnancy. Taste was a primary deterrent to avoiding artificially sweetened carbonated beverages; they preferred milk, regular carbonated beverages, and fruit juices. Except for iron intake, their nutrient intakes met or exceeded the RDA. Although mean energy intakes were slightly less than recommended, maternal weight gain and infant birth weights were satisfactory.