# Knowledge of the Importance of Folic Acid Among Women of Childbearing Age in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study examines how well women in the UAE understand folic acid's role in preventing birth defects and finds gaps in knowledge despite overall awareness.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into folic acid knowledge gaps among UAE women and identifies education level as a key factor in awareness.

## Key findings

- 87.9% of women in the UAE are aware of folic acid, but only 56.5% know it prevents neural tube defects.
- Higher education is significantly associated with better folic acid knowledge (Spearman's r = 0.219; p = 0.001).
- Healthcare providers are the primary source of information about folic acid for most participants (71.5%).

## Abstract

Background: Adequate folic acid intake before and during early pregnancy is essential for the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs). Despite established recommendations, gaps in knowledge and appropriate use of folic acid persist among women of reproductive age.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge regarding folic acid and its role in pregnancy among women of childbearing age in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to identify factors associated with better awareness.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 18-49 years residing in the UAE using a self-administered online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms. Non-probability sampling methods, including snowball and voluntary sampling, were employed. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, V. 28.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses, and associations between knowledge levels and sociodemographic variables were examined using chi-squared tests and Spearman's correlation.

Results: A total of 379 women participated (median age: 31 years). Overall awareness of folic acid was high (333/379, 87.9%); however, only 214/379 (56.5%) correctly identified its role in preventing NTDs, and 147/379 (38.7%) recognized that supplementation should begin before conception. Higher educational attainment was significantly associated with better knowledge of folic acid (Spearman's r = 0.219; p = 0.001), while no significant association was found between knowledge level and previous pregnancy history (p = 0.124). Healthcare providers were the most commonly reported source of information (271/379, 71.5%).

Conclusion: Although awareness of folic acid among women of childbearing age in the UAE is relatively high, important gaps remain regarding its preventive role and the optimal timing of supplementation. Strengthening preconception education through healthcare services and public health initiatives is essential to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes.