Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Inadequate compliance with periconceptional folic acid supplementation in South Australia
Melissa L Conlin1, Alastair H MacLennan, Jessica L Broadbent
1Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Women's and Children's Hospital, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. melissa.conlin@student.adelaide.edu.au
Background:
Despite recommendations for women to take folic acid supplements, there has been little reduction in the number of neural tube defect cases occurring each year.
Aims:
To assess the level of compliance of pregnant women to recommendations for folic acid supplementation in South Australia, and audit the labelled content in reported supplements used.
Methods:
A survey was conducted from May to September 2005 with 304 pregnant women recruited from antenatal clinics at the Lyell McEwin Health Service, the Women's and Children's Hospital and the Modbury Hospital in Adelaide.
Results:
Full compliance with supplementation recommendations for both timing and dose was achieved by 30% of women. Partial compliance was achieved by 43%, while 27% took no folic acid supplements.
Conclusions:
There is currently poor compliance with folic acid supplementation around conception. Additional food fortification may better achieve an adequate daily level of folic acid.
Related Concept Videos
Teratogenicity
Infertility in Females
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of endometrial...
Development of the Oral Microbiota
Fertilization
Vitamins
Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...

