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Ottawa research explores reasons for poor folic acid supplementation before pregnancy


November 1, 2011

New research by Drs. Mark Walker, Shi Wu Wen and their group is shedding light on the enduring challenge of promoting folic acid supplementation among women who could become pregnant. Despite well-known benefits, more than 40 per cent of Canadian women are not taking these supplements prior to pregnancy. Using data from more than 6,400 Canadian pregnancies, Drs. Walker, Wen and colleagues found that lack of pre-conception supplementation was correlated with young maternal age, low education, low income, smoking, language barriers, obesity and other factors. This study, which is the most comprehensive of its kind, could help in the development of strategies to promote better folic acid supplementation. See Canadian Journal of Obstetrics and Gyncaecology for details.