Do Italian pregnant women use periconceptional folate supplementation?

Introduction. Deficiency of folic acid (FA) has been identified as a risk factor for neural tube defects (NTDs) as well as other congenital anomalies. Thus, periconceptional folate supplementation is recommended for all women planning to get pregnant. Methods. We conducted a KAP (knowledge, attitude, practice) survey to investigate the use of FA and its appropriateness. The survey included a sample of 562 women who delivered in the Lazio region between 2013 and 2014. Two logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between the characteristics of participating women and both the information received on FA intake and its use. Results. The prevalence of periconceptional FA assumption was 19.4% although 82.2% of the interviewed women had planned their pregnancies. Conclusions. It shows that more periconceptional counseling is needed to increase women's awareness on the opportunity of FA supplementation.