engleski

Folate Related Knowledge, Dietary Intake and Supplementation Patterns in Croatian Pregnant Women

INTRODUCTION Neural tube defects (NTD ; exp. spina bifida and anencephaly) affect more than 4500 pregnancies in the European Union. Periconceptional folic acid supplementation has shown to decrease both the occurrence and recurrence of NTD. The aim of this work was to establish the knowledge of folate supplementation in periconceptuale and pregnancy period and to determine dietary folate intake among Croatian pregnant women. METHODOLOGY Subjects were 101 pregnant women, from 3 Zagreb’s health centres, interviewed during regular visit to gynaecologist. Dietary folate intake was assessed by validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) while specially designed questionnaire was used to establish knowledge of folate and usage of folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 62% of pregnant women knew that folate deficit could result in neural tube defects in newborns. However, despite of 73.3% of planned pregnancies only 17% of subjects start taking folate supplements before pregnancy. 54.5% knew that folate supplementation is recommended in the period of 4 weeks before planned conception until the 12th week of pregnancy, however only 5.9% of subjects used supplements in that period. In the first trimester of pregnancy (n=30) median intake of dietary folate was 250.1 µg per day while only 36% achieved DRI recommendation of 600 µg per day by using supplements. CONCLUSIONS These results may support need for dietary counselling in women of childbearing ages to increase intake of folate-rich foods and to use folate supplements. Despite awareness of folate importance before and during pregnancy majority of subjects did not meet recommendation, therefore further education would provide required knowledge of folate supplements selection, duration and dosages.

dietary folate intake; folate supplementation; knowledge; pregnancy

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