Dietary folate intake adequacy and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care services at public health centers in Chiro Woreda, Oromia Region, eastern Ethiopia, 2023.

BACKGROUND: Adequate dietary folate intake during pregnancy is essential for preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes, including neural tube defects and low birth weight. However, evidence on dietary folate adequacy among pregnant women in eastern Ethiopia is limited. This study assessed dietary folate intake adequacy and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care services in Chiro Woreda, Oromia Region, eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: A health institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 1 to December 30, 2023, among 420 randomly selected pregnant women attending antenatal care services at public health centers in Chiro Woreda. Dietary folate intake was assessed using a pretested and validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with dietary folate adequacy. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Among the 420 participants, the prevalence of adequate dietary folate intake was 11.7% (95% CI: 8.8% -35.1%). Household food security (AOR = 11.51; 95% CI: 3.57–37.07), having antenatal care follow-up visits (AOR = 10.59; 95% CI: 2.64–42.52), belonging to a household with medium wealth tertile (AOR = 6.84; 95% CI: 1.42–32.95), and women’s occupation being merchant (AOR = 6.87; 95% CI: 2.15–21.93) were significantly associated with dietary folate adequacy. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary folate adequacy among pregnant women in the study area was low. Strengthening nutrition education during antenatal care, improving household food security, and promoting income-generating and employment opportunities for women are essential to improve dietary folate intake during pregnancy.