不妊治療を受けている女性の葉酸摂取に関する意識  [in Japanese] The understanding of infertile women about the importance of folic acid intake before and during pregnancy  [in Japanese]

不妊女性282名の葉酸に関する意識調査を実施した。188名(66.7%)が「葉酸」という言葉を認知しており,「葉酸は妊娠中にたくさん必要な栄養素である」という項目の認知率が最も高かった。不妊女性では葉酸と妊娠との関連情報の認知度は,葉酸の一般的な情報の認知度より高い傾向を示したが,葉酸に関連する情報6項目すべてを認識していた者は17名(9.0%)と低率であった。葉酸に関する情報源としての利用率の高い項目は「本・雑誌」で35.6%であり,「医療関係者」は10.1%と低率であった。母子健康手帳副読本に記載されている葉酸摂取に関する情報提供した後の不妊女性の葉酸摂取に対する意識調査では,「食品とサプリメントを併用して葉酸を摂取しようと思う」と「サプリメントを主体に葉酸を摂取しようと思う」と回答した者が合わせて46.6%にすぎなかった。また,「葉酸」という言葉を認知していない回答者では,「知識が不足しており,「現在のところわからない」と49.5%が回答した。妊娠成立を早期に期待している不妊女性でも葉酸に関する情報が不足しており,母子健康手帳の情報のみでは十分な判断が下せない現状が明らかになった。

We examined understanding of the importance of folic acid intake before and during pregnancy in 282 infertile women. The term "folic acid" was recognized by 188 women (66.7%). We presented 6 items of information about folic acid consisting of 3 basic and 3 pregnancy-related items. The information "pregnant women require a higher amount of folic acid" was most generally recognized. The pregnancy-related information was understood better than the basic information, but only 17 women (9.0%) understood all six items of information. Regarding the source of information, "books and magazines" was the most common answer (35.6%), while "medical or medical support staff" was indicated by only 10.1% of participants. After presenting the recommendation of folic acid intake described in Maternal and Child Health Handbook of Japan, we asked about their willingness to take a folic acid supplement in the future. Although taking a folic acid supplement pill during pregnancy was recommended, it was excluded from their choice in more than half of the respondents. Among participants who had not known the term "folic acid" prior to the survey, 49.5% answered that they could not decide whether to take more folic acid in the near future. In conclusion, infertile women strongly expected to conceive, but did not have sufficient amount of information about taking folic acid before and during pregnancy. Moreover, they could not make a decision about how to take a folic acid after receiving a recommendation described in Maternal and Child Health Handbook of Japan.