SynthesisPloS one2023
Folate deficiency among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Global prevalences of erythropoiesis-associated micronutrient deficiencies (iron, folate, and vitamin BAnnals of medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Birth prevalence and risk factors of neural tube defects in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2023Pooled it
- Article
- Preconception folic acid utilization and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Lemi Kura Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2024.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Neural tube defect among newborns in public hospitals of Tigray region, northern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.PloS one · 2025Article
- Folate deficiency in pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth: A nested case-control study.Journal of global health · 2024Article
- Lethal Neural Tube Defects: Reports of Anencephaly and Craniorachischisis Cases and Literature Review.Case reports in obstetrics and gynecology · 2023Article
- Folic acid utilization and associated factors among pregnant women who attended public health facilities of illuababor zone, Southwest Ethiopia.Women's health (London, England)Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFolate deficiency (FD) can cause adverse health outcomes of public health significance. Although FD is a significant micronutrient deficiency in Ethiopia, concrete evidence is limited. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to estimate the pooled prevalence of FD among women of reproductive age (WRA).
methodsA systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Google Scholar, African Journals Online (AJOL), The Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS) of the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx), and institutional repositories of major universities and research centers. Additionally, we scanned the reference lists of relevant articles. Two authors independently selected the studies, extracted the data, and the study risk of bias. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. We used a random-effects model to estimate the pooled mean serum/plasma folate and the pooled prevalence of FD. Begg's and Egger's tests were used to check publication bias.
resultsTen studies-nine cross-sectional and one case-control-with a total of 5,623 WRA were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Four (WRA = 1,619) and eight (WRA = 5,196) cross-sectional studies were used to estimate the pooled mean serum/plasma folate and prevalence of FD, respectively. The pooled mean serum/plasma folate concentration estimate was 7.14 ng/ml (95% CI: 5.73, 8.54), and the pooled prevalence of FD was estimated to be 20.80% (95% CI: 11.29, 32.27). In addition the meta-regression analysis showed that the sampling technique was significantly associated with mean serum/plasma folate concentration.
conclusionsFD is a significant public health issue among WRA in Ethiopia. Therefore, the public health strategies of the country should focus on promoting the consumption of folate-rich foods, strengthening the coverage of folic acid supplementation and its adherence, and swift translation of the mandatory folic acid fortification into action. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO 2022-CRD42022306266.
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