Determinants of Compliance With Iron and Folate Supplementation Among Pregnant Women in West Iran: A Population Based Cross-Sectional Study

To assess the compliance with iron and folate supplementation, and the possibly causally associated factors, among pregnant women in western Iran. A cross-sectional study of 433 pregnant women, selected randomly amongst those (n = 8,500) attending 40 primary health care centers (PHCCs) in west Iran in 2017. A validated questionnaire was used to gather data, including demographic characteristics, the compliance with iron/folate supplementation and reasons for non-compliance. The participants’ mean age and the duration of their pregnancies when commencing supplementation were (27.86 ± 5.54y [µ ± SD]) and (23.29 ± 9.86w), respectively. The compliance was 71.6% / 28% for iron, and 81.5% / 40% for folate. The commonest causes of poor compliance were forgetfulness and side-effects. Educational status, age, and history of anemia were significantly positively associated with folate compliance. The compliance with iron was associated only with the level of education. Although the compliance with iron and folate was relatively high, most women had not started taking the supplements regularly or at the correct time, usually due to forgetting and/or experiencing adverse side-effects.