Asad Kamran, Bushra Mehmood, Musadaque Hussain, Shahida Islam.
Neural Tube Defects (NTDS) and Folic Acid Awareness.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;12(3):1218-20.

Background: Folate take place naturally in victual, the synthetic form of this vitamin is called folic acid. To prevent from Neural Tube Defects (NTDs), miscarriage and spina bifida a birth defect, women take folic acid that are pregnantor might become pregnant. Aim : Use of folic acid may efficiently decrease the risk of fetal NTDs (Neural Tube Defects) in early pregnancy . During periconceptional period assessment of use and consciousness of folic acid. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Gynae Unit of Shahida Islam Teaching Institute, Lodhran for the period from 01.09.2016 to 10.08.2017. A questionnaire was used to obtained data from 550 women among 10 weeks – 12 weeks of gestation. Results: There are almost 90% women who reported that they ever heard of folic acid. But before pregnancy there are only 15.6% women who used folic acid. Among use of folic acid and its awareness, there was no relationship significantly and different socio-demographic factors. The women who understand the suggested dose of folic acid were only 41% (156/382). Conclusion: Before pregnancies there is small ratio of women who used folic acid. There is need to develop a public health policy and make strategies to promote as well as increase the periconceptional use of folic acid to prevent the pregnantor might become pregnant women from neural tube defects (NTDs), miscarriage and spina bifida.

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