Effects of a simple educational intervention in well-baby clinics on women's knowledge about and intake of folic acid supplements in the periconceptional period: a controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that a concise intervention to promote the preconception use of folic acid (FA) supplements among mothers who visit a well-baby clinic (WBC) for the 6-month check-up of their youngest child is effective. Effectiveness was measured as intention to use or actual use of FA supplements before a next pregnancy among women who expected to be pregnant within 0-12 months.

DESIGN

Controlled intervention study with independent samples of intervention and control mothers. The intervention took place at the 6-month visit. A post-intervention measurement was done in the intervention group and a comparable measurement in the control group at the 11-month check-up visit.

SETTING

The intervention, verbal and in writing, was implemented in four Dutch WBC and given by the WBC physician to the mothers who visited the WBC.

SUBJECTS

All mothers visiting the WBC were eligible for inclusion, unless they were unable to complete a questionnaire. The intervention group consisted of 198 (68 %) mothers recruited from 291 6-month intervention visits and the control group of 215 (84%) mothers recruited from 255 11-month normal visits.

RESULTS

In mothers who expected to be pregnant within 0-12 months, the proportion using or intending to use FA was 65% in the intervention group (n 49) v. 42% in the control group (n 43; difference 23%, 95% CI 4, 43%, P<0·05).

CONCLUSIONS

Health education intervention at the 6-month WBC visit is an effective means to promote the use of FA supplements or the intention to do so.