Association between iron and folic acid supplementation and birth weight in Ethiopia: systemic review and meta analysis

Abstract

Background Previous studies on iron with folic acid supplementation and low birth weight indicated different findings. The aim of the current systemic review and meta-analysis was to examine the relationship between iron and folic acid supplementation and birth weight in Ethiopia. Main body The databases searched were PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Cochrane Library in January 2021. AZ, KTT and AAA carried out the data extraction and independently assessed the articles for inclusion in the review using risk-of-bias tool guided by PRISMA checklist. The combined Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was calculated using random effect model. Twenty four observational studies involving 10,989 participants, 2423 newborns who were born LBW were included. The combined effect size (OR) for low birth weight comparing women who have Iron and Folic acid supplementation versus women who did not have iron and folic acid supplementation was 0.39 (95% CI 0.27–0.59, p < 0.00001, I2 = 91%). There was significant heterogeneity (Q = 264.16, I2 = 91%, p < 0.00001). No publication bias was observed (Egger’s test: p = 0.742, Begg’s test: p = 0.372). Overall 69.5% of women reported having iron and folic acid supplementation during current pregnancy. And the overall proportion of low birth weight was 22.1%. Conclusions Women who were supplied with iron and folic acid during pregnancy had a 67% decreased chance of delivering low birth weight new born in Ethiopia.

Modeling of the determinants of Low-birth weight among children in Uganda

“…It might be attributed to unsatisfactory improvements in the quality of health care services, including delivery at health facilities, antenatal care coverage, postnatal services, and vaccination. Maintaining good nutrition and healthy weight gain, especially at the beginning of conception, controlling preexisting medical and obstetric illnesses, increasing intake of folic acid found in fruits, whole grains, and vegetables, good periconceptional care and antenatal care follow-ups, and improving the living standards of the general population were the tips to lower the risks of low birth weight disseminated (Zenebe et al, 2021). The Study revealed that the chances of low-birth-weight infants for the rich were low as compared to the poor with odds ratio of 0.6546, and 0.6015 for the richer and richest respectively.…”