Acta Biomedica Scientia

TO ASSES PRE CONCEPTIONAL AND ANTENATAL FOLIC ACID CONSUMPTION AMONG REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP INDIAN WOMEN

Vishnu Vandana

nithish@gmail.com

Folic acid, indian, Neural tube defects, Predictors, Pregnancy, Supplementation

Women in many countries are advised to use folic acid supplements before and early during pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in their infants. This study aimed to update the prevalence and to identify possible determinants of preconception folic acid supplement use in Indian women. The present study was conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PES Institute of Medical Sciences &Research, Kuppam. We conducted a cross- sectional study on a sample of 1000 womens who were seen in the medical college. we collected self- reported data regarding sociodemographic characteristics number of prenatal checkups and the use of folic acid during pregnance. Preconception folic acid use was reported by 23.5 % (n?=?515) of the participants. Of these, 479 (93 %) women had taken folic acid supplements on a daily basis as recommended by the health authorities. Women who both had intended their pregnancy and had requested a preconception health visit to a doctor/gynecologist were substantially more likely than the reference group to initiate folic acid supplementation before their pregnancy (48.6 versus 4.8 %). Preconception folic acid use was also associated with higher maternal age, higher education, marriage/cohabitation, lower parity, infertility treatments, and chronic disease.Data from seven maternity clinics located in six Indian regions indicate that preconception folic acid supplement use in many Indian women is low. Women who do not plan their pregnancy or do not request a preconception health visit to their doctor have among the lowest prevalence of preconception folic acid use. Improving folate status in these and other supplemental non-users may have important disease preventive effects [1]