title: Folic acid. Preconception knowledge and use by infertile women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess knowledge of preconception folic acid intake (PFAI) and its use by infertile women and to compare it to results from a national survey of reproductive-age women.
  
  
  METHODS
  New patients presenting to a reproductive medicine practice were surveyed regarding their knowledge and use of PFAI. Results were compared to those of a national survey of reproductive age women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six women were surveyed. Infertile women were more aware of the benefits of PFAI than the control population (65% vs. 13%) and used it more frequently (52% vs. 29%). Although infertile women knowledgeable about PFAI were more likely to take folic acid (chi 2 = 24.90, P < .001), 30% of women who were aware of the benefits of PFAI did not take it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preconception folic acid knowledge and use were higher among infertility patients presenting to a reproductive medicine practice than in the general population. Nonetheless, in this highly motivated population, only half were taking folic acid, and knowledge alone did not ensure usage. To effectively decrease the incidence of neural tube defects, food fortification may be more effective than education focusing on vitamin supplementation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants' Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. gary_frishman@brown.edu
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Frishman
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Spurrell
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Heber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid