Mary Wanjira Kamau|Waithira Mirie|Samuel Kimani
Compliance with Iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS) and associated factors among pregnant women: results from a cross-sectional study in Kiambu County, Kenya
University of Nairobi|University of Nairobi|University of Nairobi
macro micronutrients including iron folic acid deficiencies prevalent kenya particularly pregnancy resulting anaemia despite efforts control anaemia pregnancy adopting iron folic acid supplementation ifas public health problem persisted contributing significant morbidity mortality problem notwithstanding poor ifas compliance whose reasons remain poorly understood calling investigations sought determine compliance status ifas associated factors among pregnant womenthis crosssectional study involving 364 pregnant women aged 1549 years using two stage cluster sampling one subcounty five public health facilities kiambu county selected pregnant women attending antenatal clinics met inclusion criteria consented participate study recruited compliance ifas defined taking supplements least 5 7 days per week structured intervieweradministered questionnaire consisting sociodemographic data ifas maternal knowledge compliance practices pretested administered descriptive inferential statistics computed using stataof 364 respondents interviewed 327 ifas compliant 409 scored high knowledge high ifas knowledge 483 compliant compared low knowledge 214 n 46 pr 22595ci 159317 p 0001 women multigravid 304 less likely comply compared primigravid 372 n 45 pr 06895ci 047099 p 0004 multivariate analysis revealed respondents counselled management ifas side effects 100 n 4 compliant 762 n 112 apr 13195ci 119144 p 0001few pregnant women compliant ifas regimen associated knowledgeability ifas primigravidity ifas counselling especially management side effects underscore need approaches scale health awareness benefits ifas mitigation measures side effects well targeted counselling