Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107843

Kathleen M. O'Rourke, PhD and Mary E. Roddy, PhD. Lawton Rhea Chiles Research Center, University of South Florida, 3111 East Fletcher Ave., MDC 100, Tampa, FL 33613, 813-974-3240, korourke@hsc.usf.edu

Background: Postpartum Hispanic women are at elevated risk for neural tube defects in subsequent pregnancies from the combined effects of ethnicity, folate depletion from the prior pregnancy and lactation, and high parity rates with short inter-birth intervals. This study evaluated an education program and distribution of vitamins among Hispanic WIC attendees on postpartum vitamin use. Methods: At one to six weeks postpartum, 329 subjects were selected to receive education only, vitamins only, education and vitamins, or no intervention. Multivariate logistic regression measured the association between intervention status and self-reported vitamin use at least four times per week at 6 and 12 months, while controlling for potential confounding variables. Results: At enrollment, 66% of women regularly took vitamins, but only 35% took them at both 6 and 12 months postpartum. Vitamin use at both 6 and 12 months was associated with receiving a starter pack of vitamins alone or in combination with an education program, while maternal age, educational level and periconceptional vitamin use were held constant. The education program alone was not associated with vitamin use at 6 months, but was at 12 months. Conclusion: Vitamin use declines precipitously during postpartum at the time Hispanic women may be susceptible to a subsequent NTD pregnancy. This study provides evidence that a vitamin starter packs sustains vitamin usage up to a year postpartum for a specific high risk group, but the effect of education alone should be furthered studied.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify factors associated with NTD risk among postpartum Hispanic women.
• Assess the effectiveness of distributing a vitamin starter pack on postpartum vitamin consumption.
• Assess the impact of an education program alone and in combination with vitamin distribution on vitamin use among postpartum Hispanic women.

Keywords: Birth Defects, Hispanic

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.