Effect of iron and folic acid supplementation in Thai reproductive age women : study in 6 factories of Thai girl red cheek project, 2019

Abstract

WHO had collaborated with member states initiated the national prevention of anemia and birth defects programs and recommends weekly iron-folic acid supplementation containing 60 mg iron and 2.8 mg folic acid for reproductive age women in areas where the prevalence of anemia is higher than 20%.Thailand has national prevention of anemia and birth defects programs because of study “Effect of iron and folic acid supplementation in Thai reproductive age women :study in 6 factories of Thai girl red cheek project, 2019” Objective: the study aims to determine prevalence of anemia and folate status in reproductive age women (15-49 years). Methods: We conducted experimental within subject design in reproductive age women in factories of Thai girl red cheek project (n=229) were estimated nutritional status and blood collection for Red blood cell folate, Serum folate and Complete blood count at baseline and at weeks 12. Moreover, women were received 60 mg iron and 2.8 mg folic acid once weekly for 12 weeks. Statistical analyses were performed using Version 20 of SPSS and used Paired-t-test. Results: The average age of sample was 33.57 years, mean body weight was 57.87 Kg, mean height was 157.91 cm, mean body mass index was 23.18 kg/m2, nutritional status: normal was 52.4% ,underweight was 6.9% ,overweight was 12.3% and obesity was 28.4%. The prevalence of anemia at baseline was 21.8%, at weeks 12 was 24.0%. Mean plasma folate concentration at weeks 12 (18.01±5.06 ng/ml.) was higher than baseline (9.85±4.48 ng/ml.) was significant. Mean Red blood cell folate concentration at weeks 12 (892.45±484.35 ng/ml.) for preventing neural tube defects-affected pregnancies in women of reproductive age at the population level (>400 ng/mL or >906 nmol/l.) and higher than at baseline (474.94±443.16 ng/ml.) was significantly.