title: Folic acid prescription in pregnancy.
abstract: We resolved to prescribe folic acid supplements for all women who attended this practice during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. Six months after this decision a prescription was recorded in only 13% of cases: this compared with 18% during the two months immediately following the decision. It was resolved to improve this performance and observations six months later revealed a prescription recorded in 63% of cases. Subsequently a new form for recording an antenatal consultation was devised and six months after its implementation, 100% recording of folate prescription for appropriate cases was observed. It was concluded that these simple audit exercises prompted changes in practice which helped to improve standards of patient care.
authors.affiliation: Stewartstown Road Health Centre, Belfast.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cupples
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lundy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D009660:Northern Ireland; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid