Folic acid supplement prescribing practice during the protective period and its associated factors among health professionals in selected governmental health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023: A cross-sectional study.

This article focuses on assessing folic acid (FA) supplement prescribing practices during the protective periconception period among healthcare professionals in selected governmental health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2023. The study found that while 64.4% of health professionals prescribed FA during the broader periconception period, only 26.7% prescribed it during the recommended protective period (at least one month before conception and during the first three months of pregnancy). Factors significantly associated with prescribing during this period included not having attended the birth of a neonate with neural tube defects (NTDs), prescribing doses other than the recommended 4 mg for women with prior NTD births, and prescribing FA to both women with and without prior NTD history. The findings highlight a need for improved education and policy measures to enhance FA prescribing practices during the critical protective period to prevent NTDs.