This document discusses preconception care, including its definition, components, elements, benefits, and the role of midwives. Preconception care involves providing health interventions to women and couples before conception to detect risks, manage health conditions, promote nutrition and family planning. Key elements addressed include nutritional needs, genetic history, maternal age, environmental hazards and maternal history. The benefits of preconception care are reducing unintended pregnancy and birth defects, as well as promoting healthy behaviors and pregnancy outcomes. Midwives play an important role in educating and screening women to identify risks and plan interventions.

2. PRECONCEPTIONAL CARE
PRESENTED BY:-
MS.SANTOSH KUMARI

3. INTRODUCTION
Preconception care is the provision of
biomedical, behavioural and social health
interventions to women and couples before
conception occurs.

4. DEFINITION

5. COMPONENTS
• Early detection and prevention of health risks.
• Management of high risks before conception.
• Active management of fertility.
• Creation of awareness regarding contraception
among women.

6. ELEMENTS
NUTRITIONAL NEED
GENETIC HISTORY OF
FAMILY
MATERNAL AGE
FACTOR
ENVIRONMENTALHAZARDS
MATERNAL HISTORY

7. NUTRITIONAL NEED
A Womens nutritional status may have a profound
effect on reproductive outcome.
• Obesity
• Underweight

8. Cont…
Supplements that may be recommended include
• A balanced multivitamin/mineral supplement.
• Iron (if stores are low).
• Zinc (if a deficiency exists).
• Calcium if your diet is lacking.

9. Cont…
• Eating a well balanced diet is ideal and
drinking plenty of water (10 to 12 glasses per
day) is ideal.
• To take at least 500 micrograms of folic acid
per day for at least one prior to pregnancy.
• A research has found that by taking a folic acid
supplement, birth defects such as spina bifida
are reduced.

10. Genetic family history
Patient's risk of chromosomal or genetic disorders
based on
• family history.
• ethnic background.
It offer cystic fibrosis and other carrier screening
as indicated; discuss management of known
genetic disorders before and during pregnancy

11. Maternal age factor
• Age of mother before conception that mother
is below age of 17 years or above the age of 35
years.
• Advice about the good and appropriate age of
conception that is 22 to 29 years.

12. Avoid environmental hazards
According to a research study conducted on
Reducing Exposure to Environmental
Toxicants Before Birth: Moving from Risk
Perception to Risk Reduction by Holly A.
Grason, MA and Dawn P. Misra, PhD

13. Cont..
• Environmental toxicants with the potential for
harming reproductive or perinatal health are
numerous.
• There is evidence that these toxicants may
increase risks of low birth weight, intrauterine
growth restriction, preterm birth, and birth
defects.

14. Maternal history
• Reproductive life plan
• Reproductive history
• Medical history
• Medication use
• Infections and immunizations

15. BENEFITS
• Reducing unintended pregnancy.
• Prevent birth defects.
• Prevent LBW and pre maturity.
• Prevent poor pregnancy outcomes and
reoccurrences.
• Promote healthy behaviour and reduce risk taking
behaviour.
• Prepare and reinforces parents for parenting.
• Promote family planning.

16. ROLE OF A MIDWIFE
• Identify women of reproductive age.
• Educate women and men regarding
preconceptional health.
• Screen for risk factors of all identified women
under their care.
• Encourage each women and every couple to
have a reproductive life plan.

17. Cont..
• Plan for interventions to promote health and
address the risk identified.
• Educate and create awareness in the families
and community about preconception care.
• Provide follow up care.
• Provide intensive care during interconception
period.

18. CONCLUSION
Preconceptional care is very essential to
improve the maternal health and pregnancy
outcomes as well as it helps to detect any
pregnancy abnormality which affect mother
and baby.

19. SUMMARY
We have discussed about the
• Definition
• Elements
• Components
• Benefits and
• Role of midwives in preconceptional care.

20. Research article
Title :- Preconception care: Maximizing the gains
for maternal and child health.
Result:- A new WHO study report shows that
preconception care has a positive impact on
maternal and child health outcomes. A report
provides a foundation for implementing a package
of promotive, preventive and curative health
interventions shown to have been effective in
improving maternal and child health.