A survey on women’s awareness of iron and folic acid intake during preconception period and its associated factors in Manna District, Oromia region, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Aim This study aimed to assess pregnant women's awareness of iron and folic acid intake during the preconception period and associated factors. Design A cross‐sectional study. Methods This study was conducted on 636 pregnant women in Manna District, Oromia region, Southwest Ethiopia. Women's awareness of iron and folic acid intake during the preconception period was measured using a pre‐tested structured questionnaire. Descriptive, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out. Results Of the total of 623 participants, 6.7% of them had an awareness of iron and folic acid intake during preconception period. Women's husband who had formal education, women who had ≥four ANC visits and women who were at distance of <30 min from the nearest health facility were significant predictors of pregnant women's awareness iron and folic acid intake during the preconception period. Conclusions Women's awareness of iron and folic acid intake during the preconception period was very low. Husband educational status, frequency of ANC visits and distance from health facility were predictors of women's awareness of iron and folic acid intake during the preconception period.

Preconception of folic acid supplementation knowledge among Ethiopian women reproductive age group in areas with high burden of neural tube defects: a community based cross-sectional study

“…Our study revealed that there is associated with currently pregnant and had a history of ANC attendance. The findings of the study are in line with a study conducted in Korea (40) , in Sudan (34) , in Ethiopia, Hawassa (20) and in Manna District, Oromia region, Southwest Ethiopia (29) . The similarity might be due to the fact that contact with healthcare providers and attending to ANC increases the exposure to health-related information including awareness of folic acid.…”

“…However, the finding of the present study is much larger than the study conducted in Adet town of Amhara region (15·9 %) ( 19 ) in Manna District, Oromia region, Southwest Ethiopia (6·7 %) ( 29 ) in Tanzania (6·9 %) ( 30 ) and in Pakistan (6·7 %) ( 31 ) . This difference might be due to the fact that women's knowledge with regard to preconception of folic acid supplementation is the study time difference and geographical area between our study and previous studies.…”

Birth prevalence and risk factors of neural tube defects in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The meta-analysis of 45 studies also illustrated45 those uneducated women have a higher risk of giving birth to a child with NTDs. In Ethiopia, only a limited number of women were aware of and had access to periconceptional folic acid usage to avert the untoward consequence of NTDs, except for women residing in urban areas 118–121. In connection with this, per our review, intake of folic acid at preconception and during the early stages of pregnancy has reduced the risk of giving birth to a child with NTDs.…”

“…In Ethiopia, only a limited number of women were aware of and had access to periconceptional folic acid usage to avert the untoward consequence of NTDs, except for Open access women residing in urban areas. [118][119][120][121] In connection with this, per our review, intake of folic acid at preconception and during the early stages of pregnancy has reduced the risk of giving birth to a child with NTDs. However, utilisation of folic acid is more skewed to those who are educated and those who visited a health facility for ANC and family planning services due to better knowledge and access to utilisation.…”