Postpartum Supplemental Vitamin Use among Hispanic Women on the US/Mexico Border: Need for Community Health Education

Vitamin supplements are an effective means of obtaining adequate folate but little is known about vitamin use during the postpartum period, a time when women may be at risk of folate deficiency and associated health risks. This cross-sectional study evaluated factors associated with supplemental vitamin use to facilitate development of educational programs. Personal interviews were conducted among 188 Hispanic women at WIC clinics in El Paso, Texas. Most women (91%) used vitamin supplements during pregnancy; however, the majority (65%) discontinued use by the first postpartum month. Hispanic women born in Mexico (versus U.S. born), multiparas, younger mothers, and women who never breast fed were significantly less likely to take supplemental vitamins. Educational programs on the importance of vitamin supplements during the postpartum period are needed to insure that women receive adequate folate. On the U.S./Mexico border, programs should be tailored to younger, Mexican-born women.