Abstract:
Background: Iron folate supplementation in pregnant women is needed to address two
main problems: maternal anemia and neural tube closure defects .World health
organization recommend standard dose of 60 mg iron + 400 μg folic acid daily for six
months for all pregnant women. According to Mini Ethiopian Demographic Health
Survey 2014 only 34% took iron tablets during their last pregnancy this did not show the
level of adherence. Therefore, this study aims to assess the level of adherence to iron
folate supplement and factors affecting the level of adherence among pregnant women in
the study area. And the study will serve as a base line data for further study.
Objective: To assess level of adherence to Iron Folate Supplementation and associated
factors among pregnant women in Burji woreda Segen area peoples zone 2017.
Methods and material: A community based cross sectional study was conducted among
pregnant women in Burji woreda, from December to May2017. Simple random sampling
was used to select 8 kebeles from 26 kebele. Single Population proportion formula was
used to estimate the sample size of 317 pregnant. The data was coded, entered, in to
Epi.info version 3.5.1, bivariate and multivariable analysis was conducted by SPSS
version 20.And the result was presented using proportions, mean and median, and
Significance was declared by using p value of <0.05 and at 95% confidence interval.
Result: About half (51.4%) pregnant women were adhered to iron folic acid
supplementation based on pill counting. Women’s education, (AOR=2.10(1.0, 4.4),
frequency of ANC visit (AOR=2.2, (1.16, 4.06), Starting month of ANC
(AOR=3.7(1.056, 13.164) respectively were significantly associated with IFA adherent
among pregnant in study area.
Conclusion and Recommendation: About half of pregnant women were not adhere with
iron folic acid supplementation despite WHO recommendation. The associated factors
identified not to adhere to IFA supplementation during pregnancy were forgetfulness,
followed by fear of sideefects, and inadequate supplements in the facility.
Encouraging women to consume IFA tablets daily in between meals, and to put the IFA
tablets where it was seen easily, reduce the reasons of non adherent of IFA supplement.
