ABSTRACT
<b>Objective: </b>In 2000, the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued an advisory that recommended intake of 0.4mg of folic acid in dietary supplements to reduce the risk of development of neural tube defects. Since subsequent reports of questionnaire surveys by various investigators showed a low in the intake rate, we surveyed and evaluated the folic acid intake rate among the pregnant women consulting the Japan Drug Information Institute in Pregnancy.<br><b>Methods: </b>We evaluated differences in folic acid intake rate according to the consulting women’s background factors. i.e., age, pregnancy planning, pregnancy history, and taking of anticonvulsant drugs in the 1053 women capable of participating in the survey among the 1061 pregnant women who requested a consultation with the Japan Drug Information Institute in Pregnancy between April 2006 and August 2008.<br><b>Results: </b>According to the result of our survey, the intake rate of folic acid was 29% of the 1053 pregnant women. The only 3 women of the 42 pregnant women taking anticonvulsant drugs took folic acid before they got pregnant.<br><b>Conclusion: </b>Even now, 8 years after the Ministry of Health and Welfare advisory, the folic acid intake rate is low. Drawing upon successful measures promoting intake in the U.S. and Canada,we play a vital role in delivering this critical health information to pregnant women.