Awareness, knowledge, and use of folic acid among women: a study from Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the awareness, knowledge, and behaviors relevant to folic acid intake in women aged 15-49 years.


METHODS
A questionnaire designed by the researchers was administered to 1,083 women who attended to family health care centers for any reason, between 1 and 15 of December 2009.


RESULTS
Half of the women (53.7%) surveyed did not hear or read about folic acid. Women older than 35 and less-educated women were more unaware of folic acid. Out of 171 pregnant women, 81.3% (139 women) were taking/took vitamin/folic acid supplementation but only 12.2% of the users started to take supplements at least 1 month before conception. Out of 912 non-pregnant women 81 (8.9%) said they are taking any vitamin or mineral supplement. Out of the women who are not pregnant, not using a modern contraceptive method and planning to have a child at the time of the survey, only 9 (10%) were taking vitamin/folic acid. The most common information sources on folic acid were the doctors.


CONCLUSIONS
In order to improve the intake of folic acid during the recommended period, preconceptional counseling by the family doctors to inform women of childbearing age about the need to take folic acid to prevent NTDs seems to be important.
Baykan
Zeynep
Z
Department of Medical Education, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey. zebaykan@yahoo.com
Oztürk
Ahmet
A
Poyrazoğlu
Serpil
S
Gün
Iskender
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D016742:Preconception Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
D005492:Folic Acid