Individual and Community-Level Determinants of Iron-Folic Acid Intake for the Recommended Period among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: A Multilevel Analysis

AbstractObjectiveNeural tube defects are among the most common birth defects worldwide. Folic acid intake from one month before to three months after conception reduces the likelihood of neural tube defects by at least 50 %. Since 1995, several campaigns have been organised in the Netherlands which resulted in 51 % of pregnant women using folic acid supplements during the entire recommended period in the northern part of the Netherlands in 2005. Our research question was to gain insight into the current prevalence and factors associated with inadequate pregnancy-related use of folic acid supplements.DesignData from the DELIVER study were used, which is a population-based cohort study.SettingTwenty midwifery practices across the Netherlands in 2009 and 2010.SubjectsIn total 5975 pregnant women completed a questionnaire covering items on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, including folic acid intake.ResultsOf our study population, 55·5 % (3318/5975) used folic acid supplements before conception. Several sociodemographic and lifestyle factors were associated with no preconception use of folic acid, of which non-Western ethnicity and not having a partner had the largest effect size.ConclusionsIn the Netherlands, the folic acid intake before conception is suboptimal and has not improved over recent years. Fortification of staple foods with folic acid should be reconsidered as it would provide a more effective means of ensuring an adequate intake, especially for those groups of women who are unlikely to plan their pregnancies or to receive or respond to health promotion messages.

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Improper Supplementation Habits of Folic Acid Intake by Hungarian Pregnant Women: Improper Recommendations

Journal of the American College of Nutrition ◽

10.1080/07315724.2008.10719731 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 499-504 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Márta Bognár ◽

Andrea Ponyi ◽

Péter Hauser ◽

Judit Müller ◽

Tamás Constantin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Acid Intake

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Preconceptional and prenatal predictors of folic acid intake in Hungarian pregnant women

European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology ◽

10.1016/j.ejogrb.2009.03.020 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 145 (1) ◽

pp. 49-52 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Edit Paulik ◽

Judit Császár ◽

Zoltán Kozinszky ◽

László Nagymajtényi

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Acid Intake

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Compliance and patterns of iron-folic acid intake among adolescent girls and antenatal women in rural Tamil Nadu

CHRISMED Journal of Health and Research ◽

10.4103/cjhr.cjhr_88_16 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 87

Author(s):

Kalaiselvi Selvaraj ◽

P Arumugasamy ◽

Sonali Sarkar

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Adolescent Girls ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Acid Intake ◽

Iron Folic Acid

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Validation of self-reported folic acid use in a multiethnic population: results of the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980011000012 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 14 (11) ◽

pp. 2022-2028 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jonne J Sikkens ◽

Manon van Eijsden ◽

Gouke J Bonsel ◽

Martina C Cornel

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Serum Folate ◽

Folic Acid Supplement ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Development Study ◽

Supplement Use ◽

Acid Intake ◽

Acid Supplement ◽

Multiethnic Population

AbstractObjectiveTo assess folic acid supplementation rates and validate the self-reporting of folic acid supplement use among pregnant women in a multiethnic cohort.DesignSecondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.SettingSelf-reported folic acid supplement use in the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development study cohort was compared with serum folate concentrations using non-parametric trend analysis and linear and logistic regression.SubjectsA total of 4234 pregnant women of various ethnic backgrounds.ResultsSerum folate levels showed a significant positive linear trend as reported use of folic acid increased (P < 0·001), which was supported by linear regression (r = 0·49). Odds of having low serum folate concentration decreased with reported early start of folic acid intake. Young, multiparous or non-Western women reported less pre-conception folic acid intake. Non-Western women showed lower serum folate concentrations. The overall rate of over-reporting, i.e. serum folate concentrations ≤20 nmol/l while reporting the use of folic acid supplements, was 20·7 %. Women of Surinamese and Moroccan ancestry had higher odds of over-reporting (OR = 2·3; 95 % CI 1·5, 3·5 and OR = 2·3; 95 % CI 1·3, 4·0, respectively). The odds for Surinamese women remained significant after adjusting for the onset of supplement use, parity and age (OR = 1·7; 95 % CI 1·1, 2·6).ConclusionsAlthough self-reporting is a valid method for assessing folic acid supplement use in a multiethnic population, some participants do over-report. Surinamese and possibly Moroccan women appear to over-report more often. Rates of supplementation are low, especially in non-Western women. This suggests the need for intensifying current campaigns or perhaps even additional advice to start or continue to use folic acid post-conceptionally.

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Folic acid intake, urinary creatinine, and arsenic concentrations in Canadian pregnant women

Environmental Epidemiology ◽

10.1097/01.ee9.0000607092.81206.d9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 123-124

Author(s):

Fisher M ◽

Arbuckle T ◽

MacFarlane A ◽

Potter B ◽

Borghese M

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Urinary Creatinine ◽

Acid Intake

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Inadequate Folic Acid Intake Among Women Taking Antiepileptic Drugs During Pregnancy in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-49782-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yasuko Ikeda-Sakai ◽

Yoshiyuki Saito ◽

Taku Obara ◽

Mikako Goto ◽

Tami Sengoku ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Antiepileptic Drugs ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Unplanned Pregnancy ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Acid Intake

Abstract This study aimed to assess characteristics of pregnant women taking antiepileptic drugs with inadequate folic acid intake. This cross-sectional study examined pregnant women taking antiepileptic drugs who were registered in the Japanese Drug Information Institute in Pregnancy (JDIIP) database between October 2005 and December 2016. Participants were classified into two groups according to when they started folic acid supplementation (before pregnancy: ‘adequate’, after pregnancy or never: ‘inadequate’). Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate factors associated with inadequate folic acid intake. Of 12,794 registrants, 468 pregnant women were taking antiepileptics during the first trimester. Of these, we analysed data from 456 women who had no missing data. As a result, inadequate folic acid intake was noted among 83.3% of them, suggesting that the current level of folic acid intake is insufficient overall. Younger age, smoking, alcohol drinking, multiparity, unplanned pregnancy, and being prescribed AEDs by paediatric or psychiatric departments were independent factors associated with inadequate folic acid intake. As unplanned pregnancy was the strongest factor, healthcare professionals should ensure that childbearing women taking antiepileptics are informed of the importance of planned pregnancy. In addition, healthcare professionals must gain a better understanding of folic acid intake, as the prevalence of adequate intake differed according to which departments prescribed antiepileptic drugs.

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Survei Asupan Asam Folat dan Seng pada Ibu Hamil di Jawa Barat

Jurnal Kesehatan Vokasional ◽

10.22146/jkesvo.45557 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 161

Author(s):

Sri Rahayu ◽

Lani Gumilang ◽

Sri Astuti ◽

Sefita Aryuti Nirmala ◽

R. Tina Dewi Judistiani

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Secondary Data ◽

First Trimester ◽

Food Diary ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Zinc Intake ◽

Acid Intake ◽

Considerable Impact

Background: The lack of folic acid and zinc intake has considerable impact on both mother and fetus, and based on this research, the intake of folic acid and zinc among pregnant women in West Java is still quite low.Objective: The purpose of this research was to know the intake and average of folic acid and zinc among pregnant women in West Java.Methods: The method of this research was descriptive using cross sectional research design, and the sample was selected by using total sampling method from research of Academic Leadership Grant (ALG) on all first trimester pregnant women as many as 176 respondents who lived in the city of Sukabumi, Cirebon, Bandung and Cimahi recruited in the period of July 2016 - February 2017. Data source was the secondary data from food diary. The analysis used univariate data.Results: Most of the respondents with the folic acid intake not fulfilled were 97,2% and most of them with the zinc intake not fulfilled were 96%, with the average of folic acid intake 163 μg/day and the average of zinc intake 5,1 mg/day.Conclusion: Most of the respondents are categorized in the not fulfilled folic acid and zinc intake with the average under the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for pregnant women.

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Effect of Folic Acid Intake on Infant and Child Allergic Diseases: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Pediatrics ◽

10.3389/fped.2020.615406 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Zekun Chen ◽

Yan Xing ◽

Xue Yu ◽

Yuqi Dou ◽

Defu Ma

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Folic Acid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Allergic Diseases ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Acid Intake ◽

Folic Acid Supplements

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect of folic acid supplements on infant and child allergic diseases through systematic review and meta-analysis.Design: PubMed, The Cochrane Library and references of related articles published before January 1, 2020 were searched.Setting: Meta-analysis was used to explore the influence of folic acid on skin allergies (eczema, and atopic dermatitis) and respiratory allergies (asthma, wheezing, and allergic rhinitis).Participants: Data were collected from 15 studies with 244,018 individual participants from five different countries for meta-analysis.Results: Folic acid was confirmed as a risk factor for allergic diseases in infant and child. The risk of allergic diseases dramatically increased when maternal folic acid intake <400 μg/day (RR = 1.050; 95% CI = 1.027–1.073) during pregnancy. Stratified analyses revealed that the association was significant only for respiratory allergy (RR = 1.067; 95% CI = 1.028–1.108) and pregnant women who only used folic acid supplements (RR = 1.070; 95% CI = 1.030–1.112) and that countries without folic acid fortification (RR = 1.046; 95% CI = 1.026–1.067).Conclusions: This study suggested that folic acid intake can be a risk factor for allergic diseases, especially respiratory tract allergies among infants and young children. Furthermore, pregnant women should pay attention to supplementation of folic acid from both folic acid supplements and fortified foods with folic acid during pregnancy.

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