“PerConcept” study: provider opinions about integrating preconception care into family planning services

Abstract

The importance of preconception care for the mother and child health has long been demonstrated, but the practical realization of this prophylactic activity remains insignificant. Th e article presents the “PerConcept” study results – a survey on “Family Planning” concept perceptions among physicians, whose activity is related to reproductive health. Th e study was conducted based on a unified questionnaire in three cities from three countries: Chisinau (Republic of Moldova), Irkutsk (the Russian Federation) and Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico). Th e survey involved 1.012 family physicians, obstetricians gynecologists, urologists, andrologists, but also doctors of other specialties. A number of 991 questionnaires were validated and analyzed. About 79.5% of all respondents (788) reported that the term of “family” is associated with the birth of children. About 96.0% of respondents (951) believed that pregnancy should be planned by the couple/woman. From a professional perspective, 862 physicians (94.5%), consider that the concept of family planning should also really include a component of preconception care, simultaneous with contraception. Th e majority of participants – 91.1%, (831) had the opinion that strategies and programs in the field of family planning should be revised, in order to include preconception health services. Although the “PerConcept” study had some limitations, the authors consider that the results are interesting because doctors from 3 regions of the world: Europe, Asia, and North America had a similar opinion about the need to expand the family planning concept, which should really include the preconception care, with an equal approach as another component – contraception.