Assessing Folic Acid Awareness and its Usage for the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects Among Pregnant Women in Jos, Nigeria

A. Anzaku
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引用次数: 26

Abstract

Background: In the precent study, firm evidences indicate that folic acid supplementation during the peri‑conceptional period reduces the risk of having a baby with neural tube defects. Aim: To ascertain the level of awareness about folic acid, its use during peri‑conceptional period and the predictive factors of folic acid awareness among pregnant women in our setting. Subjects and Methods: Confidential, anonymous questionnaires were administered to consecutive 543 pregnant women seeking routine antenatal care at Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos between January and June 2012. Questions included enquiry on their demographic features, obstetric history, pregnancy intention, awareness and intake of folic acid during the peri‑conceptional period, and knowledge of its natural sources. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression to identify predictive factors of folic acid awareness were then performed. Results: Out of 543 pregnant women surveyed, 64.6% (351/543) reported that they were aware of folic acid as a vitamin supplement. However, only 7.4% (26/351) consistently took the vitamin during the protective periconceptional period. The common sources of information about folic acid were health workers (68.5%) and the media (14.6%). Only 26.5% (93/351) of them could correctly identify a natural source of food rich in folic acid. Multivariate logistic regression showed that maternal age >30 years (P=0.01) and higher educational status (P=0.001) were predictive factors for folic acid awareness. Conclusion: Folic acid awareness as a vitamin supplement was relatively high among the women surveyed but its intake during peri‑conceptional period was worryingly low. Antenatal and Population health educational strategies and fortification of staple foods with folic acid may improve its intake among women of child‑bearing age in our setting. Keywords: Awareness in pregnant women, folic acid, neural tube defects, peri‑conceptional usage
评估叶酸意识及其在尼日利亚乔斯孕妇神经管缺陷预防中的使用
背景:在目前的研究中,有确凿的证据表明,在怀孕期间补充叶酸可以降低婴儿患神经管缺陷的风险。目的:了解本地区孕妇对叶酸的认知水平、妊娠期叶酸的使用情况及叶酸认知的预测因素。对象和方法:对2012年1月至6月期间在乔斯宾汉姆大学教学医院接受常规产前护理的543名孕妇进行保密、匿名问卷调查。问题包括调查她们的人口特征、产科史、怀孕意向、孕期对叶酸的认识和摄入量以及对其自然来源的了解。然后进行描述性统计和多元逻辑回归来确定叶酸意识的预测因素。结果:在接受调查的543名孕妇中,64.6%(351/543)报告说她们知道叶酸作为维生素补充剂。然而,只有7.4%(26/351)的妇女在保护性围孕期持续服用维生素。关于叶酸的常见信息来源是卫生工作者(68.5%)和媒体(14.6%)。只有26.5%(93/351)的人能正确识别富含叶酸的天然食物来源。多因素logistic回归分析显示,产妇年龄0 ~ 30岁(P=0.01)、教育程度高(P=0.001)是影响叶酸意识的预测因素。结论:接受调查的妇女对叶酸作为维生素补充剂的认识相对较高,但其在怀孕期间的摄入量却低得令人担忧。产前和人口健康教育策略以及在主食中添加叶酸的强化可以改善我国育龄妇女的叶酸摄入量。关键词:孕妇意识,叶酸,神经管缺陷,围孕期使用
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