title: Determinants of folic acid use in a multi-ethnic population of pregnant women: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: To investigate the possible differences in folic acid use and to identify the determinants of antenatal folic acid use among multi-ethnic pregnant women.
  
  
  
  Three hundred and fifty pregnant women participated in this cross-sectional study in a university hospital in Brussels, Belgium. A questionnaire was used to obtain data on socio-demographic characteristics and folic acid use. χ(2)-tests and binary logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 17.
  
  
  
  In the overall cohort, 59.2% used folic acid supplements during pregnancy. This supplement use was associated with an age of 26-35 years, being of Western origin, with high education and employment status, understanding physician's instructions, and early booking for antenatal care. Education (odds ratio, OR: 2.24; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.08-4.63) and early booking for antenatal care OR: 2.45; 95% CI: 1.11-5.40) were the most important determinants. In particular for Arab/Turkish women, a lower employment status OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.24-0.73) was associated with a higher risk of not using folic acid supplements.
  
  
  
  The lower use of folic acid supplements in Arab/Turkish ethnicities, which may be associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects, is related to socio-economic factors rather than to lower educational attainment. As recommended by other studies, fortification of ethnic minority food may be warranted to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Baraka
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steurbaut
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leemans
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Foulon
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laubach
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coomans
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Alain G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Dupont
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D001530:Belgium; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid