Iron and folic acid supplementation compliance during pregnancy and its effect on post-pregnancy anaemia among reproductive-age women in East Africa

Despite the government’s effort to reduce the prevalence of anaemia among reproductive-age women globally, it continues as a significant public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Iron–folic acid (IFA) supplementation is a widely used intervention to prevent anaemia, but compliance remains a major challenge. There is a lack of literature examining IFA supplementation compliance during pregnancy and its impact on preventing and controlling anaemia during post-pregnancy in the East Africa region. Despite universal IFA supplementation, anaemia remains prevalent in East African countries due to low level of compliance with IFA supplementation. Targeting individual and socio-economic factors during IFA supplementation promotion helps to prevent anaemia after pregnancy. Further research is recommended to gain deeper insights.