SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2020
Adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation among pregnant women in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 64 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
64 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effectiveness of mHealth-Based Nutritional Interventions on Iron Status of Pregnant Women: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Pooled it
- Birth prevalence and determinants of neural tube defects among newborns in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Digital versus non-digital health interventions to improve iron supplementation in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Pooled it
- Self-management of iron and folic acid supplementation during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postnatal periods: a systematic review.BMJ global health · 2021Pooled it
- Perinatal asphyxia and its associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC pediatrics · 2020Pooled it
- The effect of blister packaging Iron and Folate on adherence to medication and hemoglobin levels among pregnant women at National Referral Hospital antenatal clinics in a low to middle income country: a Randomised Controlled Trial (The IFAd Trial).BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2022Trial
- Effectiveness of Health Information Package Program on Knowledge and Compliance among Pregnant Women with Anemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Effect of Picture-based health education and counselling on knowledge and adherence to preconception Iron-folic acid supplementation among women planning to be pregnant in Eastern Ethiopia: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of nutritional science · 2022Trial
- A community-based randomized controlled trial providing weekly iron-folic acid supplementation increased serum- ferritin, -folate and hemoglobin concentration of adolescent girls in southern Ethiopia.Scientific reports · 2021Trial
- Factors Associated With Uptake of Iron Supplement During Pregnancy Among Women of Reproductive Age in Somaliland: A Cross-Sectional Study.Public health challenges · 2026Article
- The Impact of Adherence to Prenatal Multiple Micronutrient Supplements on Gestational Weight Gain in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Simulation Study.Current developments in nutrition · 2026Article
- Prior Pregnancies Deplete Maternal Folate Status and Increase Risks of Neural Tube Defects in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.The Journal of nutrition · 2026Article
- Non-adherence to iron and folic acid consumption among Indian pregnant women: evidences from national family health survey-5 data (2019-21).BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Factors associated with inadequate iron supplementation among pregnant women in the Brazilian Unified Health System: a cross-sectional study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- The critical gap in prevention: knowledge of periconception folic acid supplementation and its predictors among pregnant women in Ethiopia.Maternal health, neonatology and perinatology · 2026Article
- Preventing iron deficiency anemia in rural Indonesia: Experiences and support needs of pregnant women and healthcare providers - a qualitative descriptive study.Belitung nursing journal · 2026Article
- Correlation between folic acid and hemoglobin in pregnant women: cross-sectional study from 2017 to 2019.Revista brasileira de enfermagem · 2026Article
- Exploring adherence to iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnant women at rural health facilities in Waghimra zone, Northern Ethiopia.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Scientific and Public Health Challenges in Folic Acid Supplementation: Insights from Brazil and Global Implications.Nutrients · 2025Review
4 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite the supplementation of iron-folic acid is the recommended strategy during the antenatal period; iron deficiency anemia is the commonest hematologic complication during pregnancy. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the level of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation and its associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia.
methodsSystematic review and meta-analysis guideline was followed for this study. Different online databases were used for the review: PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE, Google Scholar and African Journals Online. Different searching terms were applied based on the adapted PICO principles to achieve and access all the essential articles. The data were entered and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and Stata 11 software respectively.
resultsFifteen studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis with a total of 5808 pregnant women. The overall pooled prevalence of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation among pregnant women in Ethiopia was 41.38% (95% CI: 33.09, 49.67). Having secondary and above educational status of the women (AOR:2.68,95%CI:1.25, 5.74), having an early registration of antenatal care follow-up (≤16 weeks) (AOR:2.54,95%CI:1.99, 3.24), having anemia complication during current pregnancy (AOR:3.01,95%CI:1.88, 4.81), having good knowledge of iron-folic acid supplementation (AOR: 2.96, 95%CI:1.76, 4.99), having four times or more antenatal care follow up (AOR:3.66, 95%CI:2.81, 4.77), getting health education about benefit of iron and folic acid (AOR:2.62,95%CI:1.46,4.72), and having good knowledge about anemia (AOR:2.99,95%CI:2.32, 3.85) were associated risk factors for adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation.
conclusionThe overall pooled prevalence adherence of IFAS among pregnant women was lower than the WHO recommendations. Educational status, early registration of ANC, anemia in the current pregnancy, good knowledge of IFAS, number of ANC visits, good knowledge of anemia and receiving health education about the benefit of IFAS were factors associated with the adherence of IFAS among pregnant women in Ethiopia. This finding is important to design strategic policies and to prevent anemia and congenital anomaly resulted from inadequate intake of iron and folic acid.
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