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. 2021 Mar 1:15:501-510.
doi: 10.2147/PPA.S291939. eCollection 2021.

Maternal Knowledge Associated with the Prevalence of Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Among Pregnant Women in Muntinlupa, Philippines: A Cross-Sectional Study

Tadashi Yamashita  1 , Ramon Emilio Daniel Roces  2 , Cecilia Ladines-Llave  2 , Maria Teresa Reyes Tuliao  3 , Mary Wanjira Kamau  4 , Chika Yamada  5   6 , Yuko Tanaka  7 , Kyoko Shimazawa  1 , Saori Iwamoto  1 , Hiroya Matsuo  6
Affiliations

Maternal Knowledge Associated with the Prevalence of Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Among Pregnant Women in Muntinlupa, Philippines: A Cross-Sectional Study

Tadashi Yamashita et al. Patient Prefer Adherence. .

Abstract

Purpose: The World Health Organization advocates that all pregnant women in areas where anemia is prevalent receive supplements of iron and folic acid. However, owing to a myriad of factors, the uptake of iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) is still low in many countries. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the prevalence of IFAS and its associated factors among pregnant women.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Muntinlupa, Philippines, between March and August 2019 among 280 pregnant women. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select participants. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with the prevalence of IFAS among pregnant women.

Results: Among 280 pregnant women, a majority (85.6%, n= 238) took IFAS during pregnancy. Among the respondents, 128 (45.9%) women had knowledge about signs and symptoms of anemia, 126 (45.3%) had knowledge of the benefits associated with IFAS, and 42 (15.4%) had knowledge about side effects associated with IFAS. The main sources of information about IFAS were health care providers (41.8%), followed by community health workers (CHWs) (14.6%). Maternal knowledge concerning IFAS benefits (OR = 2.50, CI = 1.04-5.97, p=0.04) was positively associated with the prevalence of IFAS.

Conclusion: Maternal knowledge about the benefits of taking IFAS was significantly associated with the prevalence of IFAS among pregnant women in Muntinlupa, Philippines. There is a pressing need to improve health education on the benefits of IFAS among pregnant women to increase its prevalence. This emphasizes the necessity of increased involvement of health care providers and CHWs to increase women's knowledge of IFAS benefits and support them through pregnancy.

Keywords: anemia; community health workers; health care providers; health education; pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Knowledge status on benefits of iron and folic acid supplementation among pregnant women.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sources of iron and folic acid supplementation information.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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