Indian Perspective on Clinical Aspects, Usage, and Guidelines of Folic Acid

Paayal, Chobe; Ganesh, Uchit; Shaantanu, Donde

doi:10.1007/s13224-014-0526-3

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Our study results depicted low information about folic acid use, though efforts have been made to address this issue appropriately by the Government of India that has started promoting the use of folic acid in planned pregnancies during the periconception phase (three months before and three months after conception) for the prevention of NTDs and other congenital anomalies, as a community based intervention, and there are recent studies to advocate the same [ 24 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Assessment of Folic Acid Supplementation in Pregnant Women by Estimation of Serum Levels of Tetrahydrofolic Acid, Dihydrofolate Reductase, and Homocysteine

et al. 2016

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Background. Status of folic acid use in pregnant women of the hilly regions in North India was little known. This study was carried out to assess the folic acid use and estimate folate metabolites in pregnant women of this region. Materials and Methods. This cross-sectional study is comprised of 76 pregnant women, whose folic acid supplementation was assessed by a questionnaire and serum levels of homocysteine, tetrahydrofolic acid (THFA), and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) were estimated using Enzyme Linked Immunoassays. Results. The study data revealed awareness of folic acid use during pregnancy was present in 46.1% and 23.7% were taking folic acid supplements. The study depicted that there was no statistically significant difference between serum levels of THFA and DHFR in pregnant women with and without folic acid supplements (p = 0.790). Hyperhomocysteinemia was present in 15.78% of the participants. Conclusion. Less awareness about folic acid supplementation and low use of folic acid by pregnant women were observed in this region. Sufficient dietary ingestion may suffice for the escalated requirements in pregnancy, but since this cannot be ensured, hence folic acid supplementation should be made as an integral part of education and reproductive health programs for its better metabolic use, growth, and development of fetus.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Assessment of Folic Acid Supplementation in Pregnant Women by Estimation of Serum Levels of Tetrahydrofolic Acid, Dihydrofolate Reductase, and Homocysteine

et al. 2016

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“…IFA tablets are one of the most effective methods of combating anemia throughout the life course (10). As per the Indian government, IFA tablets are comprised of 0.5 mg of folic acid and 100 mg iron and 100 IFA tablets are to be distributed free of cost to women during pregnancy through the community health care worker network and primary health care centers (11,12). However, according to NFHS-4, less than 1 in 3 pregnant women in India consume the recommended dosage of IFA during pregnancy (3).…”

Section: Background and Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Addressing anemia among women in India—an informed intervention using Facebook Ad Manager

Diamond‐Smith

Holton

Francis³

et al. 2020

mHealth

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Background: Women in India continue to have high rates of anemia, especially in critical periods of adolescence and pregnancy. Anemia persists despite decades of government programs aimed at combatting anemia, including through the provision of iron folic acid tablets (IFA). With growing access to mobile phones and social media, even among women, mobile interventions hold potential for influencing knowledge and behaviors. Social media consumption, including on Facebook, is high in India. However, little research has explored if women can be reached with health messages using social media, if data can be collected through this mechanism, and if interventions using social media impact knowledge and behaviors surrounding important health issues such as anemia. The aims of this study were to test an advertising campaign on Facebook about anemia and IFA to women, collect data through social media, and measure its impact.Methods: A baseline survey and two follow-up surveys were sent to women via Facebook in 2019 in two states of India: Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Between each round of data collection, a set of advertisements based on gaps in knowledge and practices identified in the baseline on anemia and IFA were delivered to more than 3 million women on Facebook. Using this data, we analyze current knowledge and behaviors around anemia and IFA and look at differences by socio-demographics including age, Marital status, and pregnancy. Using logistic regression models, we then look for evidence of a significant change in knowledge and behaviors between rounds of data collection.Results: We find that while general knowledge about anemia was high, especially related to its importance in pregnancy, misperceptions persist, such as that it makes babies large and delivery difficult. Only about 15% of the population was currently taking IFA, although nearly 50% noted that they had at some point. Younger women had lower levels of knowledge and practices. Findings about the impact of the Ad campaigns were mixed, with some indicators changing in positive and some in negative directions and no clear trend between surveys. Two indicators that were of high focus in the Ad campaigns changed in the desired direction after both ad campaigns (iron can make labor/delivery difficult and iron supplements are only for women who have anemia).Conclusions: Overall, this study shows that a social media campaign about anemia has the potential to reach a large number of women in India, including young women, who are hard to reach if they are not in school or currently pregnant and seeing a physician. This study shows that it is possible to collect data from women through social media and measure the impact of an intervention. More research is needed to know if social media is an effective approach to actually change attitudes and behaviors related to anemia, or other important health concerns.

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“…A substantial reduction in the occurrence of NTD was observed with the maternal peri‐conceptional folate supplementation (Ami et al, ) on account of the fact that the neural tube closes 23–27 days after conception. But in India, national guidelines on the proper dose of folic acid to pregnant women are not available (Paayal, Ganesh, & Shaantanu, ). Besides folate, vitamin B12 status is also related to abnormal levels of homocysteine in blood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Folic acid, dietary habits, and homocysteine levels in relation to neural tube defects: A case–control study in North India

Deb¹,

Arora

Samtani

et al. 2018

Birth Defects Research

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It is suggested that plasma hyperhomocysteinemia bears negative impact on child-bearing women group, of north Indian ancestry, in modulating the risk of NTDs. Efforts should be made to enhance awareness regarding folic acid and vitamin B12 (non-vegetarian diet) supplementations alongwith proper nutritional intake among women, especially those consuming vegetarian diet to control homocysteine levels in order to reduce the risk of NTDs.

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Indian Perspective on Clinical Aspects, Usage, and Guidelines of Folic Acid

Cited by 5 publications

References 22 publications

Assessment of Folic Acid Supplementation in Pregnant Women by Estimation of Serum Levels of Tetrahydrofolic Acid, Dihydrofolate Reductase, and Homocysteine

Assessment of Folic Acid Supplementation in Pregnant Women by Estimation of Serum Levels of Tetrahydrofolic Acid, Dihydrofolate Reductase, and Homocysteine

Addressing anemia among women in India—an informed intervention using Facebook Ad Manager

Folic acid, dietary habits, and homocysteine levels in relation to neural tube defects: A case–control study in North India

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