Factors associated with adherence to iron folate supplementation among pregnant women in West Dembia district, northwest Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

• Published in: BMC research notes Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 6
• Main Authors: Molla, Tsegaye, Guadu, Tadesse, Muhammad, Esmael Ali, Hunegnaw, Melkamu Tamir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 06.01.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Acids; Adherence; Adolescent; Adult; Anemia; Compliance; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Dietary Supplements; Drug Combinations; Ethiopia; Female; Folic acid; Folic Acid - administration & dosage; Health facilities; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Iron; Iron - administration & dosage; Iron folate supplementation; Knowledge; Medication Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Obstetrics; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic - drug therapy; Pregnant women; Prenatal care; Prenatal Care - statistics & numerical data; Prenatal experience; Public health; Questionnaires; Research Note; Response rates; Sample size; Sociodemographics; Studies; Supplements; Tablets; Trace Elements - administration & dosage; Vitamin B; Vitamin B Complex - administration & dosage; Womens health; Young Adult; Ethiopia; Tanzania; Addis Ababa Ethiopia; Adherence; Pregnant women; Ethiopia; Iron folate supplementation
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4045-2

In Ethiopia, iron folate tablets are prescribed for all pregnant mothers during their antenatal visits and given for free; however, only limited data are available on their adherence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess adherence to iron folate supplementation and its associated factors among pregnant women in West Dembia district, northwest Ethiopia. An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted on 348 pregnant women that had at least one antenatal care visit. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to identify the predictors at p-value < 0.2 and 0.05 respectively. Adherence to iron folate supplementation in this study was 52.9% [95% CI (47.7, 58.0%)]. Women who had good knowledge about anemia (AOR: 2.63, 95% CI 1.51, 4.59), knowledge about iron folate supplementation (AOR: 2.82, 95% CI 1.52-5.23), four and more ANC visits (AOR: 6.97, 95% CI 3.25, 14.96), and anemia history during current pregnancy (AOR: 13.87, 95% CI 3.75, 51.35) were significantly associated with adherence to iron folate supplementation. Therefore, preventing prenatal anemia, improving knowledge of women about anaemia and iron folate supplementation, and increasing ANC services are essential to increase adherence.