Community Mobilization and Social Marketing to Promote Weekly Iron-Folic Acid Supplementation in Women of Reproductive Age in Vietnam: Impact on Anemia and Iron Status

• Main Authors: Jacques Berger, Hoang Thi Kim Thanh, Tommaso Cavalli-Sforza, Suttilak Smitasiri, Nguyen Cong Khan, Silvano Milani, Pham Thuy Hoa, Nguyen Dinh Quang, Fernando Viteri
• Other Authors: IRD Centre de Montpellier
• Format: Article
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Medicine; Nursing
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/16731
• Institution: Mahidol University

The community mobilization and social marketing program promoting a preventive approach of weekly iron-folic acid supplementation in women of reproductive age improved iron status of non-pregnant women in Vietnam. Three to six months of weekly pre-pregnancy supplementation and regular weekly intake of supplements during pregnancy allowed women to achieve good iron and hemoglobin status during the two first trimesters of pregnancy. In the third trimester, iron deficiency and anemia were notably present but low birth weight prevalence was low. This demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of the preventive approach as implemented here to prevent and control iron deficiency and anemia in women of reproductive age before and during pregnancy. © 2005 International Life Sciences Institute.