[8 out of 10 midwives informed about folic acid. Most of them considered their knowledge about folic acid not sufficient].
Deficiency of folic acid increases the risk for neural tube defects among newborn children and megaloblastic anaemia in the mother. The aim of this study was to make a survey of how midwives working in maternity health care, family planning guidance, and specialist prenatal care in a Swedish county inform women of childbearing age about folic acid. The questionnaire study showed that 79% of the midwives informed the women about folic acid. Usually, the women received information first when they asked for it and midwifes were less prone to inform young women about folic acid. 87% of the midwives felt that they did not know enough about folic acid.


CONCLUSIONS
Midwives play an important role in information about the need of folic acid intake for women in childbearing age. Changes in local routines, guidelines and further education of midwifes would subsequently provide information about the importance of folic acid to women in childbearing age.
Lundqvist
Anette
A
Institutionen för omvårdnad, Umeå universitet. anette.lundqvist@nurs.umu.se
Wennberg
Anna Lena
AL
Lövgren
Gunvor
G
Sandström
Herbert
H
D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D005260:Female; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011361:Professional Competence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden