Table 1 General descriptives of survey respondents from five countries
|  | Pooled sample (n = 5000) | South Africa (n = 1000) | UK (n = 1000) | USA (n = 1000) | Kenya (n = 1000) | Malaysia (n = 1000) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sociodemographics | ||||||||
 Sex | Male | 2398 (48.1) | 490 (49.0) | 468 (46.8) | 480 (48.0) | 480 (48.0) | 480 (48.0) | 0.969 |
Female | 2590 (51.9) | 510 (51.0) | 520 (52.0) | 520 (52.0) | 520 (52.0) | 520 (52.0) | ||
 Age | 18–30 yrs | 3249 (65.0) | 649 (64.9) | 650 (65.0) | 650 (65.0) | 650 (65.0) | 650 (65.0) | 0.004 |
31–45 yrs | 1251 (25.0) | 251 (25.1) | 250 (25.0) | 250 (25.0) | 250 (25.0) | 250 (25.0) | ||
46–55 yrs | 500 (10.0) | 100 (10.0) | 100 (10.0) | 100 (10.0) | 100 (10.0) | 100 (10.0) | ||
 Parity | Score | 1.92 ± 1.11 | 2.41 ± 1.21 | 1.77 ± 0.965 | 1.70 ± 0.980 | 2.42 ± 1.16 | 1.33 ± 0.721 |  < 0.001 |
 Marital status | Single | 2494 (49.9) | 639 (63.9) | 447 (44.7) | 492 (49.2) | 397 (39.7) | 519 (51.9) |  < 0.001 |
Married/Cohabit | 2302 (46.0) | 309 (30.9) | 526 (52.6) | 457 (45.7) | 561 (56.1) | 449 (44.9) | ||
Divorced/widowed/separated | 204 (4.1) | 52 (5.2) | 27 (2.7) | 51 (5.1) | 42 (4.2) | 32 (3.2) | ||
 Employment | Employed | 3900 (78.2) | 764 (76.4) | 800 (80.0) | 699 (69.9) | 820 (82.0) | 817 (81.7) |  < 0.001 |
Unemployed | 694 (13.9) | 146 (14.6) | 113 (11.3) | 231 (23.1) | 107 (10.7) | 97 (9.7) | ||
Student | 379 (7.6) | 88 (8.8) | 86 (8.6) | 49 (4.9) | 73 (7.3) | 83 (8.3) | ||
Retired | 16 (0.3) | 2 (0.2) | 1 (0.1) | 10 (1.0) | 0 (0) | 3 (0.3) | ||
Preconception health knowledge, attitude and behaviour | ||||||||
 Preconception health knowledge | Low knowledge score | 1957 (39.1) | 397 (39.7) | 411 (41.1) | 351 (35.1) | 373 (37.3) | 425 (42.5) |  < 0.001 |
Adequate knowledge score | 2515 (50.3) | 532 (53.2) | 477 (47.7) | 511 (51.1) | 497 (49.7) | 498 (49.8) | ||
Good knowledge score | 528 (10.6) | 71 (7.1) | 112 (11.2) | 138 (13.8) | 130 (13.0) | 77 (7.7) | ||
 Attitude (% rates as important) | Take folate | 3161 (63.2) | 696 (69.6) | 528 (52.8) | 531 (53.1) | 774 (77.4) | 632 (63.2) | < 0.001 |
Avoid alcohol | 4174 (83.5) | 907 (90.7) | 778 (77.8) | 823 (82.3) | 843 (84.3) | 823 (82.3) |  < 0.001 | |
Exercise daily | 4153 (83.1) | 883 (88.3) | 752 (75.2) | 789 (78.9) | 937 (93.7) | 792 (79.2) | < 0.001 | |
Avoid smoking | 4443 (88.9) | 927 (92.7) | 840 (84.0) | 844 (84.4) | 960 (96.0) | 872 (87.2) |  < 0.001 | |
Maintain good mental health | 4479 (89.6) | 941 (94.1) | 822 (82.2) | 845 (84.5) | 978 (97.8) | 893 (89.3) |  < 0.001 | |
Eat healthily | 4548 (91.0) | 953 (95.3) | 875 (87.5) | 849 (84.9) | 984 (98.4) | 887 (88.7) |  < 0.001 | |
Check blood pressure regularly | 4423 (88.5) | 941 (94.1) | 808 (80.8) | 812 (81.2) | 973 (97.3) | 889 (88.9) |  < 0.001 | |
 Behaviour (% rates as likely) | Access preconception care if available and planning a pregnancy | 4266 (85.3) | 856 (85.6) | 797 (79.7) | 802 (80.2) | 922 (92.2) | 889 (88.9) |  < 0.001 |