TABLE 1.
Characteristics of the participants regarding adherence to supplementation recommendations of both folic acid and iodine.
| Characteristics | All participants (n = 881) | Adherent (n = 146) | Nonadherent (n = 735) | p‐value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||
| Age (years) a | ||||
| <30 | 192 (21.9) | 23 (15.9) | 169 (23.1) | .152 |
| 30–34 | 363 (41.3) | 64 (44.1) | 299 (40.8) | |
| ≥35 | 323 (36.8) | 58 (40.0) | 265 (36.2) | |
| Academic qualification b | ||||
| Low | 60 (6.8) | 5 (3.4) | 55 (7.5) | .059 |
| Medium | 229 (26.1) | 32 (21.9) | 197 (26.9) | |
| High | 588 (67.0) | 109 (74.7) | 479 (65.5) | |
| Employment before maternity leave | ||||
| Yes | 724 (82.2) | 129 (88.4) | 595 (81.0) | .033 |
| No | 157 (17.8) | 17 (11.6) | 140 (19.0) | |
| Parity | ||||
| Primipara | 444 (50.4) | 79 (54.1) | 365 (49.7) | .365 |
| Multipara | 437 (49.6) | 67 (45.9) | 370 (50.3) | |
| Relationship status | ||||
| Single parent | 28 (3.2) | 2 (1.4) | 26 (3.5) | .297 |
| Stable partnership | 853 (96.8) | 144 (98.6) | 709 (96.5) | |
| Residential area | ||||
| Urban area | 343 (38.9) | 45 (30.8) | 298 (40.5) | .023 |
| Outer conurbation area | 263 (29.9) | 42 (28.8) | 221 (30.1) | |
| Rural environment | 275 (31.2) | 59 (40.4) | 216 (29.4) | |
| Medication 14 days pp c | ||||
| Yes | 154 (17.5) | 35 (24.1) | 119 (16.2) | .031 |
| No | 725 (82.5) | 110 (75.9) | 615 (83.8) | |
| Smoking during pregnancy | ||||
| Yes | 50 (5.7) | 4 (2.7) | 46 (6.3) | .116 |
| No | 831 (94.3) | 142 (97.3) | 689 (93.7) | |
| Diet | ||||
| Omnivorous | 836 (94.9) | 131 (89.7) | 705 (95.9) | .006 |
| Vegetarian/vegan | 45 (5.1) | 15 (10.3) | 30 (4.1) | |
| Intention to full breastfeeding | ||||
| As long as possible | 199 (22.6) | 25 (17.1) | 174 (23.7) | .001 |
| Up to 4 or 6 months/longer than 6 months | 566 (64.2) | 112 (76.7) | 454 (61.8) | |
| Concerns whether it will work/no intention/not sure | 116 (13.2) | 9 (6.2) | 107 (14.5) | |
| Breastfeeding status 14 days pp | ||||
| Exclusive breastfeeding | 641 (72.8) | 118 (80.8) | 523 (71.2) | .019 |
| Not exclusive breastfeeding | 240 (27.2) | 28 (19.2) | 212 (28.8) | |
| Most important information source— “breastfeeding” | ||||
| By health personnel | 203 (23.0) | 32 (21.9) | 171 (23.3) | .109 |
| By social environment/other sources | 218 (24.7) | 41 (28.1) | 177 (24.1) | |
| Previous breastfeeding experience/knowledge | 336 (38.1) | 61 (41.8) | 275 (37.4) | |
| Not informed | 124 (14.1) | 12 (8.2) | 112 (15.2) | |
Note: Frequencies and percentages may not equal the total or may not add to 100% due to missing data.
Abbreviation: pp, postpartum.
Data of three participants are missing.
Data of four participants are missing; corresponding degrees: low‐ “Hauptschule/anderer Abschluss”: ≤9 years of schooling, medium‐ “Mittlere Reife mit Realschulabschluss”: ≤10 years of schooling, high‐ “Fachabi/Abi”: ≤11 years of schooling.
Data of 2 participants are missing; intake of medicaments besides nutrient supplements.
Fisher exact p‐values significant and highlighted bold at <.05 comparing participants complying with folic acid and iodine supplementation recommendations with noncomplying participants.