title: [Factors affecting the use of folic acid supplements in pregnant women in Gansu Province].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the factors of folic acid intake among pregnant women, and to provide the basic dates for improving the effectiveness of folic acid intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-section study was conducted both in hospital and household. Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to 2094 women in two counties of Gansu province, who were pregnant at least three months or postpartum within one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 25.4% of 2094 subjects have taken folic acid. Lack of knowledge on folic acid, the age of pregnant women, the history of birth defects, had a check in hospital before pregnant, the degree of education, planned pregnancy and the history of miscarriages were the significant influential factors for whether or not taking folic acid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The history of childbearing and the knowledge on folic are the important factors affecting the use of folic acid supplements. Widely initiating health education on the knowledge of folic acid and advocating family planning in childbearing aged population should be taken as the most important measures. But finding a way of effectively increasing the rate of folic acid intake before pregnancy is a problem still needs to be solved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. shanzhishi@163.com
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiaobin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Minzhen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liansheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhenqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Da
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ya'na
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid