Abstract
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><em><strong>Introduction: </strong></em></span><span style="color: #231f20;">Preconception Care (PCC) is an important component of reproductive health care.</span></span></span> <span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><em><strong>Objectives: </strong></em></span><span style="color: #231f20;">To study the level of preconception preparedness of pregnant women, and factors influencing it, in order to identify possible strategies to improve PCC.</span></span></span></span> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><em><strong>Design and Setting: </strong></em></span><span style="color: #231f20;">A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from 10th July to 13th August 2012 in the Antenatal Clinics of the Academic Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit at Teaching Hospital, Mahamodara, Galle.</span></span></span></span> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><em><strong>Method: </strong></em></span><span style="color: #231f20;">A consecutively recruited, convenient sample of 250 pregnant women presenting for booking at <28 weeks gestation was studied. Data on demographic characteristics, PCC received and responses to 18 questions on preconception health knowledge were collected using an interviewer-administered, pre-tested structured questionnaire. Responses for each question were scored out of 10 and correlated with the demographic data of the subjects.</span></span></span></span> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><em><strong>Results: </strong></em></span><span style="color: #231f20;">The mean age of the subjects was 27.8 years (95% CI 27.0-28.6) and 124 (49.6%) were primigravidae. Only 68 (27.2%) of subjects had received PCC and 95 (38%) had unplanned pregnancies. Age <26 yrs, monthly family income of < Rs. 15,000, educational level < General Certificate of Education, Ordinary Level (G.C.E.O/L) and unemployment carried almost a doubling of the risk of unplanned pregnancies. (RRs 1.7- 2.4, 95% CIs 1.2 -3.9, p < 0.005). An educational level < G.C.E.O/L also carried a higher risk of not receiving PCC (RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2 - 1.6, p < 0.0001). Knowledge of the value of early registration with a Public Health Midwife (PHM) and preconceptional Rubella vaccination, and the risks associated with increased age, consanguinity, and exposure to passive smoking were satisfactory. Knowledge regarding pregnancy planning, awareness of PCC, effects of pre-pregnancy weight on fertility, folic acid supplementation, fertile period and birth spacing were unsatisfactory. The leading sources of preconceptional health knowledge were PHM (16.8%), specialist obstetrician (8.4%) and media (7.6%).</span></span></span></span> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #231f20;"><em><strong>Conclusion: </strong></em></span><span style="color: #231f20;">PCC of women is suboptimal and needs more attention. The primary health care team, general practitioners and specialist obstetricians should be motivated and trained to provide preconception health education and PCC to late adolescents and young women in Southern Sri Lanka.</span></span></span> DOI: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljog.v35i1.5996">http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljog.v35i1.5996</a> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Sri Lanka Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology </em></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2013; </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">35</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">:</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 3-9</span></span>
Highlights
Preconception Care (PCC) is an important component of reproductive health care
Knowledge of the value of early registration with a Public Health Midwife (PHM) and preconceptional Rubella vaccination, and the risks associated with increased age, consanguinity, and exposure to passive smoking were satisfactory
From the pregnant women presenting for booking at the antenatal clinics of the Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Teaching Hospital, Mahamodara, Galle, a convenient sample of 250 consecutive pregnant women with less than 28 weeks of period of gestation (POG) were recruited
Summary
Preconception Care (PCC) is an important component of reproductive health care. Preconception care (PCC) has been recognized as an important com-ponent of reproductive health care in women[1]. Preconception Care (PCC) is an important component of reproductive health care. The main goals are to improve birth outcomes in future pregnancies through health education, risk assessment and appropriate interventions wherever needed[3]. PCC reduces potential risk factors which may adversely affect future pregnancies, and becomes even more important especially when there is a pre-existing maternal medical illness threatening the mother or the outcome of pregnancy. An unmet need for family planning of 8.4% and a teenage pregnancy rate of 6.5% has been reported in Sri Lanka in 20095. It has been shown that unintended, unwanted or mistimed pregnancies are associated with a significantly higher risk of low birth weight and preterm delivery[6]. Increased rate of teenage pregnancies is another burden to reproductive healthcare
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have