Arquivos de Biotecnologia Médica

Prevalence of Women Taking Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) During Pregnancy and its Impact on Child’s Birth Weight

Deo Sushma, Pandey Shila and Kharel Sushil

1.1. Introduction
Pregnancy is a crucial period with increased metabolic demands. Vitamins, minerals and folic acids are the major determinants of not only the child’s health but also the pregnant woman.

1.2. Objective

To evaluate maternal intakes of iron-folic acids during pregnancy and assess its impact on child’s birth weight.

1.3. Materials and methods

 A cross-sectional study was conducted among 290 women with live birth in Kathmandu, Nepal. In this study, maternal intake of iron-folic acid during pregnancy was assessed by a questionnaire and birth weight of child was verified by the certificate issued by the Hospital. The correlation between these intakes and birth weight were evaluated and analyzed.

1.4. Results

Prevalence of women taking iron-folic acid during pregnancy was 58.87%. This study found the positive association of the folic acid consumption of mothers  on birth weight of their child, 79.65% of child with normal birth weight were the child whose mothers took iron-folic acid during the pregnancy  whereas only 4.67% child were of normal birth weight whose mothers were not taking iron-folic acid during pregnancy. Folic acid intake during pregnancy was significantly associated with birth weight of child (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Intake of folic acid by pregnant women was strongly related to normal birth weight of the child. So country level awareness campaign on iron-folic acid intake and other vitamins during pregnancy should be emphasized to make our society, country and the world healthy with normal birth weight child.