V I Morin1, M Mondor, R D Wilson. 1. Children's and Women's Health Center of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. morinvalerie@hotmail.com
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the knowledge of folic acid and its use preconceptionally in women of British Columbia. METHODS: The study was conducted at British Columbia Women's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, between April 15 and June 15, 1999. Pregnant women and women in the postpartum period were asked to complete a survey on folic acid. RESULTS: In total, 1,004 women completed the questionnaire during the study period. Seventy-one percent of the women knew that vitamins could help prevent birth defects. Of those, 76.3% identified folic acid as the one vitamin specifically associated with reduction of birth defects. It was identified that 49.4% of all women took vitamins prior to pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Women in the population studied were relatively well informed about the benefits of folic acid, but less than 50% of them took vitamins prior to conception.
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the knowledge of folic acid and its use preconceptionally in women of British Columbia. METHODS: The study was conducted at British ColumbiaWomen's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, between April 15 and June 15, 1999. Pregnant women and women in the postpartum period were asked to complete a survey on folic acid. RESULTS: In total, 1,004 women completed the questionnaire during the study period. Seventy-one percent of the women knew that vitamins could help prevent birth defects. Of those, 76.3% identified folic acid as the one vitamin specifically associated with reduction of birth defects. It was identified that 49.4% of all women took vitamins prior to pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS:Women in the population studied were relatively well informed about the benefits of folic acid, but less than 50% of them took vitamins prior to conception.
Authors: Margot I Van Allen; Erin Boyle; Paul Thiessen; Deborah McFadden; Douglas Cochrane; G Keith Chambers; Sylvie Langlois; Patricia Stathers; Beverly Irwin; Elizabeth Cairns; Patrick MacLeod; Marie-France Delisle; Soo-Hong Uh Journal: J Appl Genet Date: 2006 Impact factor: 3.240