Abstract
Adequate folic acid supplementation during the preconception period is an important element in the primary prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs). This study aims to study the effectiveness of folic acid supplementation recommendations among women of childbearing age, and to assess and characterise their awareness about this public health measure. The cross-sectional study included women (N = 1285) aged 22.27 ± 4.6 years old on average. Some of the results were obtained on a subgroup of women (N = 1127) aged 21.0 ± 2.1. This study was performed using a questionnaire. The analysis was performed with the use of a logistic regression model, chi-square test for independence and odds ratio (OR). According to the results, only 13.9% of women supplement folic acid, and 65.3% of them do so daily. A total of 91.1% of the respondents were not aware of its recommended dose and 43% did not know the role it plays in the human body. Among women who do not currently supplement folic acid (N = 1052), 52.4% declared doing so while planning their pregnancy. Women’s awareness about the role of folic acid in NTD prevention (OR = 4.58) and the information they got from physicians (OR = 1.68) are key factors that increased the odds of the women taking folic acid before pregnancy. There is therefore a need for more information and education campaigns to raise awareness about folic acid.
Highlights
Introduction wFolic acid intake is an important public health goal that can reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) [1]
NTDs are congenital malformations that originate during early embryonic development when the neural tube fails to close completely, which results in perinatal mortality or disabilities; they constitute an important problem in public health on a global level [5,10,11]
This study revealed that awareness of the role of folic acid in the prevention of NTDs was a variable associated with periconceptional folic acid supplementation (OR = 1.75) [35]
Summary
Folic acid intake is an important public health goal that can reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) [1]. This B-group vitamin occurs naturally in green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and legumes, as well as in animal source foods, such as eggs and liver [2,3,4]. Many studies have corroborated that preconception supplementation with folic acid reduces the risk of developing neural tube defects (e.g., anencephaly, spina bifida) [1,6,7,8,9]. The key aspect of active NTD prevention is the period in which folic acid supplementation is introduced.
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