Maternal knowledge and use of folic acid among Saudi females

OBJECTIVE: To explore and find out the level of awareness regarding folic acid's (FAs) importance, current use, and timing of administration among pregnant Saudi females.

METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted randomly among women aged 18-45 years old, attending the Antenatal and Gynecology Clinics at the Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al-Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from January to November 2012. A total of 1250 subjects were approached, and 1000 women expressed their verbal consent to participate. The questionnaire consisted of 17 items, and results were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 88.4% of women were aware of FA. However, only 4.4% of them took FA before pregnancy. Compared to highly educated women (20.4%), only 5% of illiterate women use FA during the first trimester of their pregnancy. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that educational level had a significant association with FA awareness and use (p=0.001; odds ratio: 0.000; 95% confidence interval: 1.001 to 1.080). Most women recall hearing of FA from their doctors. Only 48 women reported a history of a previous child with congenital anomalies, and 4 of them (8.3%) of them used FA before pregnancy.

CONCLUSION: We found that only 4.4% of the studied women use FA in their preconceptional period. The higher the educational level, the more the knowledge, and frequent use of FA. Poor level of awareness among lower educated woman requires medical authorities to broadcast the importance of FA, and there may be a need to fortify food with FA.