Folic Acid Awareness, Knowledge, & Supplementation Practices Among CMU Female Students

Folic acid, a synthetic form of folate, is known to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects by 50-70% among infants if taken before and during the gestational period. Women, ages of 13 to 45, are recommended to consume 400 µg of folic acid daily. However, previous studies indicated that only 30% of childbearing women reported consuming the recommendation, and only 6% were aware of it. Women can obtain adequate folic acid via consuming a diet rich in folate or taking a dietary supplement. Foods rich in folate include dark leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and legumes. To ensure that women consume an adequate intake of folic acid, in 1996, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated that all cereal grain products be fortified with 140μg of folic acid per 100g of grain beginning January 1st, 1998. Since most of the pregnancies are unplanned, assessing students’ folic acid knowledge is crucial for a healthy pregnancy outcome to reduce birth defects. Therefore, the main objective of this pilot study was to assess female students’ knowledge and awareness of folic acid use and benefits at CMU.