Pregnancy is a period when optimal supply of vitamins and micro and macro elements is necessary to ensure proper fetal development and maternal health. One of the substances that has been shown to have a positive effect on the fetus is folic acid. Deficiency of this compound is associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. As a consequence, the awareness of women about the role of folic acid and necessity of its supplementation in the preconception period and during pregnancy is crucial. In order to obtain information on the knowledge of women regarding the need to take folic acid and the benefits associated with it, an anonymous questionnaire was carried out. The survey containing 28 original questions in an online form was sent to participants. The study showed deficiencies in the knowledge of female students of reproductive age regarding folic acid supplementation and the need to promote it. Therefore, it is necessary to include as many young women as possible to The Primary Prevention Program of Neural Tube Defects.

folic acid; pregnancy; knowledge

Donnelly JG. Folic acid. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2001 Jun;38(3):183-223.

Chitayat D, Matsui D, Amitai Y, Kennedy D, Vohra S et al. Folic acid supplementation for pregnant women and those planning pregnancy: 2015 update. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2016;56(2):170-175.

Bomba-Opoń D, Hirnle L , Kalinka J, Seremak-Mrozikiewicz A. Suplementacja folianów w okresie przedkoncepcyjnym, w ciąży i połogu. Rekomendacje Polskiego Towarzystwa Ginekologów i Położników, Ginekologia i Perinatologia Praktyczna 2017 tom 2, nr 5, strony 210–214.

Czeizel AE, Dudás I. Prevention of first occurrence of neural-tube defects by periconceptual vitamin supplementation. N Engl J Med 1992;327:1832–5.

Casas JP, Bautista LE, Smeeth L, Sharma P, Hingorani A. Homocysteine and stroke: evidence on a causal link from mendelian randomisation. Lancet 2005;365:224–32.

Wald DS, Law M, Morris JK. Homocysteine and cardiovascular disease: evidence on causality from a meta-analysis. BMJ 2002;325:1202–8.

Seshadri S, Beiser A, Selhub J, Jacques PF, Rosenberg IH, D’Agostino RB, Wilson PWF, Wolf PA. Plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med 2002;346:476–83.

Malouf R1, Grimley Evans J. Folic acid with or without vitamin B12 for the prevention and treatment of healthy elderly and demented people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Oct 8;(4):CD004514.

Kim J, Yon M, Kim C, Lee Y, Moon GI et al. Preconceptional use of folic acid and knowledge about folic acid among low-income pregnant women in Korea. Nutrition Research and Practice. 2017;11(3):240-246. doi:10.4162/nrp.2017.11.3.240.

Rekomendacje Polskiego Towarzystwa Ginekologicznego w zakresie stosowania witamin i mikroelementów u kobiet planujących ciążę, ciężarnych i karmiących. Ginekol Pol. 2014, 85, 395-399.

MRC Vitamin Study Research Group. Prevention of neural tube defects: Results of the Medical Research Council Vitamin Study. Lancet. 1991 Jul 20;338(8760):131-7.

Bixenstine PJ, Cheng TL, Cheng D, Connor KA, Mistry KB. Association Between Preconception Counseling and Folic Acid Supplementation Before Pregnancy and Reasons for Non-Use. Matern Child Health J. 2015 Sep;19(9):1974-84.

Nilsen RM, Leoncini E, Gastaldi P, Allegri V, Agostino R et al. Prevalence and determinants of preconception folic acid use: an Italian multicenter survey. Italian Journal of Pediatrics. 2016;42:65.

Brzeziński ZJ (red): Zapobieganie wrodzonym wadom cewy nerwowej. Instytut Matki i Dziecka, Warszawa 1998.

Sicińska E, Produkty wzbogacane kwasem foliowym (wit. z grupy B). Wydawnictwo SIGMA-NOT, Przemysł Spożywczy 2011 T. 65, nr 12, 39-41.

Ehmke vel Emczyńska E, Kunachowicz H. Questionnaire research among women of childbearing age concerning preliminary prevention of neutral tube defects. Hygeia Public Health 2011, 46(1): 47-50.

Poręba R, Drews K, Karowicz-Bilińska A, Oszukowski P, Pawelczyk L, i in. Stanowisko Zespołu Ekspertów Polskiego Towarzystwa Ginekologicznegow zakresie suplementacji witamin i mikroelementów podczas ciąży. Ginekol Pol. 2011, 82, 550-553.

Słomka A, Żekanowska E, Piotrowska K, Kwapisz J. Iron metabolism and maternal-fetal iron circulation. Postepy Hig Med Dosw, 2012; 66: 876-887.

Boykin CM, DiPietro Mager NA. Ohio pharmacy students’ knowledge of folic acid and neural tube defects. Curr. Pharm. Tech. Learn. 7:273–276.

Sean M. Lynch. Assessment of Student Pharmacists' Knowledge Concerning Folic Acid and Prevention of Birth Defects Demonstrates a Need for Further Education. The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 132, Issue 3, 1 March 2002, Pages 439–442.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1999) Knowledge and use of folic acid by women of childbearing age—United States, 1995 and 1998. MMWR 48:325–327.

Cieślik E, Kościej A, Gębusia A. Ocena wiedzy i pobrania kwasu foliowego przez kobiety w wieku rozrodczym. Probl Hig Epidemiol 2013, 94(3): 594-599.

Kari J, Bardisi E, Baitalmal R, Ageely G. Folic acid awareness among female college students. Neural tube defects prevention. Saudi medical journal. January 2009, 29(12):1749-51.