A woman's health in the preconception period is important to ensure a healthy pregnancy and to support the wellbeing of her child. Encouraging positive behaviour change can help to establish a balanced lifestyle for a woman and her family. The first half of this article will cover the initial assessment and general advice that applies to all women who are planning a pregnancy. The second half will explore the preconceptual management of long-term health conditions, and will describe the relevance of genetic risk assessment in pre-pregnancy counselling. Preconception counselling, distinct from antenatal care, is the provision of 'biomedical, behavioural and social health interventions before pregnancy occurs', to improve the long and short-term health outcomes of women and their children (World Health Organization (WHO), 2012). Many complications in pregnancy and childbirth are linked to modifiable risk factors that have an impact on organogenesis. Most of these risk factors are already present before pregnancy occurs. A consultation with a woman or couple who are planning a pregnancy therefore presents a vital window of opportunity for health promotion, at a time when their motivation to make lifestyle changes is likely to be high.
展开▼
