BACKGROUND Preconception counseling is effective in reducing the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The Internet is commonly used by women and health professionals to search for health information. We compared the consistency of preconception information found on the Internet with the recommendations published by American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) simulating a web search by w...

BACKGROUND Some risk factors that would lead to therapeutic abortion do even exist before pregnancy and could be resolved or corrected through appropriate interventions. The present study was conducted to evaluate the condition of preconception care among therapeutic abortion applicants. MATERIALS AND METHODS This research was a descriptive, cross-sectional study that was conducted on 200 app...

BACKGROUND In the Netherlands, midwives are autonomous medical practitioners and 78% of pregnant women start their maternity care with a primary care midwife. Scientific research to support evidence-based practice in primary care midwifery in the Netherlands has been sparse. This paper describes the research design and methodology of the multicenter multidisciplinary prospective DELIVER study w...

The trend toward delayed parenthood is on the rise across Canada. Societal emphasis on attaining higher education, career advancement and financial security may be some reasons why individuals delay becoming a parent; whatever the reason, this trend is linked to significant health and economic impacts. Many Canadians are unaware of the impact this may have on their fertility and potential birth...

Substance abuse poses significant health risks to childbearing-aged women in the United States and, for those who become pregnant, to their children. Alcohol is the most prevalent substance consumed by childbearing-aged women, followed by tobacco, and a variety of illicit drugs. Substance use in the preconception period predicts substance use during the prenatal period. Evidence-based methods f...

BACKGROUND The attention for Preconception Care (PCC) has grown substantially in recent years, yet the implementation of PCC appears challenging as uptake rates remain low. The objective of this study was to assess parental perspectives on how PCC should be provided. METHODS Recruitment of participants took place among couples who received antenatal care at a Dutch community midwifery practic...

China has a strong need and strong reasons to conduct a large-scale birth cohort study. Environmental pollution is a serious problem in some parts of the country. Infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, childhood asthma, childhood obesity, and sexual prematurity have all reportedly increased in recent years, but the causes remain elusive. With fewer children in each family, child health is oft...

In January 2015, the US Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative (PCHHC) established a new national vision that all women and men of reproductive age will achieve optimal health and wellness, fostering a healthy life course for them and any children they may have. Achieving this vision presents both challenges and opportunities. This manuscript describes the reasons why the US needs to p...

AIMS Preconception care (PCC) is care that aims to improve the health of offspring by addressing risk factors in the pre-pregnancy period. Consultations are recognized as a method to promote perinatal health. However, prospective parents underutilize PCC services. Uptake can improve if delivery approaches satisfy consumer preferences. Aim of this study was to identify preferences of women (cons...