There were factors that are particularly associated with lower rates of use of folic acid supplements .
One of the most important of these is the link with unintended pregnancy , followed by age , socio-economic and ethnic group .
Integrated campaigns can increase the use of folic acid supplements to some extent .
Research trials indicated that : ( i ) printed re sources and the mass media used in isolation are not effective in the longer term ; and ( ii ) health-care-based initiatives can be effective and are more likely to be successful if they include making supplements easily available .
Campaigns and interventions have the potential to exacerbate socio-economic inequalities in folic acid use .
However , even high- quality campaigns that increase use result in under half of women in the target group taking supplements
OBJECTIVE To provide a basis for making recommendations on the potential to improve use of folic acid supplements in the UK , particularly among low-income and young women .
A survey of preconceptional folic acid use in a group of Canadian women.
BACKGROUND R and omized controlled trials have demonstrated that periconceptional folic acid supplementation has a dramatic effect in reducing neural tube defects , one of the most serious congenital anomalies . Unfortunately , supplementation tends to be suboptimal in disadvantaged population s. OBJECTIVE The primary objective was to determine patient factors associated with a lack of use of periconceptional folic acid among Canadian women in a multi-ethnic , urban setting . Our secondary objective was to assess patient knowledge about folic acid tablet supplementation and its link to reduced birth defects . METHODS We undertook a cross-sectional study to survey postpartum Toronto women on their use and knowledge of periconceptional folic acid . RESULTS Of the 383 women surveyed , only 28 % took folic acid or a multivitamin containing folic acid during the periconceptional period . Multivariate analysis revealed that the use of periconceptional folic acid  was more common among women of Jewish descent ( adjusted relative risk [ RR ] 0.3 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 0.04 - 0.9 ) and those who had 1 or no children ( adjusted RR 0.6 ; 95 % CI , 0.4 - 0.8 ) . Not taking folic acid was associated with unplanned pregnancy ( adjusted RR 1.5 ; 95 % CI , 1.4 - 1.6 ) and a lack of knowledge about when folic acid should be taken ( adjusted RR 1.8 ; 95 % CI , 1.6 - 1.8 ) . CONCLUSION Ethnic background is an independent predictor of periconceptional folic acid use
There were factors that are particularly associated with lower rates of use of folic acid supplements .
One of the most important of these is the link with unintended pregnancy , followed by age , socio-economic and ethnic group .
Integrated campaigns can increase the use of folic acid supplements to some extent .
Research trials indicated that : ( i ) printed re sources and the mass media used in isolation are not effective in the longer term ; and ( ii ) health-care-based initiatives can be effective and are more likely to be successful if they include making supplements easily available .
Campaigns and interventions have the potential to exacerbate socio-economic inequalities in folic acid use .
However , even high- quality campaigns that increase use result in under half of women in the target group taking supplements
OBJECTIVE To provide a basis for making recommendations on the potential to improve use of folic acid supplements in the UK , particularly among low-income and young women .