Preconception folic acid supplementation knowledge attitude and practice among women at Marie stopes clinics in Addis Ababa Ethiopia,2024.

This study assessed knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding preconception folic acid supplementation among women attending Marie Stopes clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2024. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 375 women of reproductive age using systematic random sampling. Data were collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS. The findings showed that 70.9% of participants had good knowledge, 70.1% had a positive attitude, and 56.3% demonstrated good practice toward preconception folic acid supplementation. Educational status, prior pregnancy history, antenatal care counseling, and access to health information were significantly associated with better outcomes. The study highlights the need for strengthened preconception counseling and nutrition education to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Keywords Preconception care, Folic acid supplementation, Knowledge attitude and practice, Maternal nutrition, Reproductive health, Neural tube defects, Ethiopia, Women of reproductive age Authors Bezawit Asmare – Principal Investigator Affiliation Department of Master of Public Health in Human Nutrition Universal Medical and Business College Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Supervisior Dr. Addisu Tadesse (PhD) – Academic Advisor This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.