Awareness and use of folic acid among pregnant women in Taipei.

OBJECTIVE Periconceptional use of folic acid may effectively reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the awareness and use of folic acid during periconceptional period in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed at Taiwan Adventist Hospital between March 2008 and December 2008. Data were obtained using a questionnaire from 275 women between 10-12 weeks of gestation. RESULTS About 90% of women reported having ever heard of folic acid, but only 15.6% of women used folic acid before their pregnancy. There was no significant relationship between awareness and use of folic acid and variant sociodemographic factors. Only 41% of women (78/191) understood the recommended dose of folic acid. About 86% of women (170/197) reported they could identify natural folate-rich food and most of them stated green leaf vegetables as the most important natural source of folic acid. CONCLUSION Only a small proportion of women have used folic acid before their pregnancies. A public health policy or strategy to increase the preconceptional use of folic acid is needed in Taiwan.