Table 3 Participants’ reasons for not consuming iron and folic acid supplements (N = 330)

Long walking distance to health facility

27

8.2

Transport costs

40

12.1

Safe previous pregnancies without iron and folic acid supplements

56

17.0

Advised by friends/relatives not to consume

54

16.4

Use of traditional medicine

34

10.3

Forgetfulness

83

25.2

Side effects

89

27.0

Inadequate supply^a

34

10.3

Tablets were out of stock in facility

47

14.2

Dislike medication

27

8.2

Number of barriers; Mean (SD)

1.49 (1.21)