What is it about?
Folate supplementation before conception can prevent a group of congenital abnormalities that affect the complete development of the brain and spinal cord. We have shown that health worker knowledge improved with a participatory action program but less than 2% of pregnant women actually took pre-pregnancy folate supplementation before and 18 months after the intervention.
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Why is it important?
This community on the Thailand Myanmar border have micronutrient deficiencies and most pregnancies are unplanned. Only a well funded program community based program with substantial reach will change this poor outcome. Pre-pregnancy folate is a highly cost effective intervention to improve pregnancy outcomes for prospective parents if they know about it!.
Perspectives
We see anencephalic babies routinely. The ultrasound staff at SMRU are very good at identifying them. It could all be prevented. We hope to conduct a much better participatory action program in the near future.
Prof Rose McGready
Shoklo Malaria Research Unit
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Folate supplementation to prevent birth abnormalities: evaluating a community-based participatory action plan for refugees and migrant workers on the Thailand-Myanmar border, Public Health, August 2018, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.04.009.
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