Level of knowledge regarding the use of folic acid and iron supplements among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/08bsnv27Keywords:
Iron and folic acid supplementation, antenatal care, pregnant women, knowledge level, anemia prevention, Hoima Regional Referral HospitalAbstract
Background:
Iron and folic acid supplementation is a key component of antenatal care recommended by the World Health Organization to prevent anemia and neural tube defects in pregnancy. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge regarding the use of folic acid and iron supplements among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital.
Methodology:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 195 pregnant women selected through systematic sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, with frequencies and percentages used to summarize findings.
Results:
The study included 195 respondents, 70.3% of the respondents were aged 26–35 years. 85.6% were married. 55.4% had completed primary education. Regarding occupation, almost three-quarters 73.8% were unemployed. More than half of the respondents 66.7% reported health workers as their source of information regarding iron and folic acid tablets, while a minority 3.1% reported school. 60% knew the correct number of iron and folic acid tablets taken per day, while a sizeable minority 40% did not know. 58.5% reported that the supplements help prevent anaemia, 17.9%, while the smallest proportion associated them with preventing low birth weight, 8.2%. 85.6% knew some natural sources of iron and folic acid, while the smallest proportion 14.4% reported that they did not know. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents 71.8% knew some side effects of the supplements, whereas the least number 28.2% reported that they did not know.
Conclusion:
Overall, pregnant women demonstrated a fair level of knowledge about iron and folic acid supplements, but notable gaps still exist that could hinder their proper use and effectiveness.
Recommendation:
Strengthening antenatal health education and expanding community awareness are necessary to improve knowledge and supplement use.
References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Joice Katamba Nankinga, Jimmy Okwany, Hasifah Nansereko, Franscisco Ssemuwemba, Jane Frank Nalubega (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
