Recent Immigrants With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Have Significant Healthcare Utilization From Preconception to Postpartum: A Population Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Immigrants with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may have increased healthcare utilization during pregnancy compared with non-immigrants, although this remains to be confirmed. We aimed to characterize this between these groups. METHODS: We accessed administrative databases to identify women (aged 18-55 years) with IBD with a singleton pregnancy between 2003 and 2018. Immigration status was defined as recent (<5 years of the date of conception), remote (≥5 years since the date of conception), and none. Differences in ambulatory, emergency department, hospitalization, endoscopic, and prenatal visits during 12 months preconception, pregnancy, and 12 months postpartum were characterized. Region of immigration origin was ascertained. Multivariable negative binomial regression was performed for adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 8,880 pregnancies were included, 8,304 in non-immigrants, 96 in recent immigrants, 480 in remote immigrants. Compared with non-immigrants, recent immigrants had the highest rates of IBD-specific ambulatory visits during preconception (aIRR 3.06, 95% CI 1.93-4.85), pregnancy (aIRR 2.15, 95% CI 1.35-3.42), and postpartum (aIRR 2.21, 1.37-3.57) and the highest rates of endoscopy visits during preconception (aIRR 2.69, 95% CI 1.64-4.41) and postpartum (aIRR 2.01, 95% CI 1.09-3.70). There were no differences in emergency department and hospitalization visits between groups, although those arriving from the Americas were the most likely to be hospitalized for any reason. All immigrants with IBD were less likely to have a first trimester prenatal visit. DISCUSSION: Recent immigrants were more likely to have IBD-specific ambulatory care but less likely to receive adequate prenatal care during pregnancy.

Preconception care use and associated factors among HIV positive reproductive age women attending ART clinics at public hospitals in the Hadiya zone, southern Ethiopia: a mixed method approach.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the HIV pandemic makes preconception care even more crucial due to the additional risks for sexual and vertical transmission of HIV. However, there is limited evidence on the utilization of preconception care among high-risk women in Ethiopia. The purpose of this research is to assess preconception care utilization and associated factors among HIV-positive women of reproductive age who attend ART clinics in public hospitals in the Hadiya zone of Southern Ethiopia in 2023. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design employing a mixed methods approach was used among 297 study participants from July 1-Semptember 1, 2022. Data were collected by pretested structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software version 25. Logistic regression, Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval was computed, and variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Qualitative data were analyzed using open code version 4.03. RESULTS: This study revealed that 19.9% (95%Cl: 15.4, 24.2) of study participants use preconception care. Women's autonomy (AOR = 3.65; 95% CI: 1.14, 11.68;P = 0.03), knowledge of PCC (AOR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.13, 8.22; P = 0.001), getting family/husband support (AOR = 4.06; 95% CI: 1.56, 10.53;P = 0.022), discussions with healthcare providers (AOR = 5.60; 95% CI: 2.26, 13.90;P = 0.002), availability of room for PCC (AOR = 3.77; 95% CI: 1.38, 10.31;P = 0.009), getting all laboratory services (AOR = 4.19; 95% CI: 1.61, 10.94; P = 0.002), and history of medical problems (AOR = 2.94; 95% CI: 11.01, 8.62;P = 0.036) were significantly associated with PCC use. CONCLUSION: The level of PCC use in the current study area is low. Women's autonomy, knowledge of PCC, obtaining support from family or husband, engaging in discussions with healthcare providers, having access to a PCC room, access to all laboratory services, and having a history of medical problems are significantly associated with PCC use. Our findings suggest integrating PCC into routine HIV care, boosting women's autonomy, and integrating family support with healthcare providers.

Impacts of Medicaid Expansion Before Conception on Prepregnancy Health, Pregnancy Health, and Outcomes.

Preconception health care is heralded as an essential method of improving pregnancy health and outcomes. However, access to health care for low-income US women of reproductive age has been limited because of a lack of health insurance. Expansions of Medicaid program eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (as well as prior expansions in some states) have changed this circumstance and expanded health insurance coverage for low-income women. These Medicaid expansions provide an opportunity to assess whether obtaining health insurance coverage improves prepregnancy and pregnancy health and reduces prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We tested this hypothesis using vital statistics data from 2011-2017 on singleton births to female US residents aged 15-44 years. We examined associations between preconception exposure to Medicaid expansion and measures of prepregnancy health, pregnancy health, and pregnancy outcomes using a difference-in-differences empirical approach. Increased Medicaid eligibility was not associated with improvements in prepregnancy or pregnancy health measures and did not reduce the prevalence of adverse birth outcomes (e.g., prevalence of preterm birth increased by 0.1 percentage point (95% confidence interval: -0.2, 0.3)). Increasing Medicaid eligibility alone may be insufficient to improve prepregnancy or pregnancy health and birth outcomes. Preconception programming in combination with attention to other structural determinants of pregnancy health is needed.

Desire to have children and preferences regarding to pre-pregnancy counselling in women with SLE.

OBJECTIVES: Pre-pregnancy counselling in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is important in order to improve knowledge on the risks of pregnancy and to optimize pregnancy outcomes. Knowledge on the preferences of women with SLE regarding pre-pregnancy counselling have not yet been studied. In a closely monitored cohort of women with SLE we enquired about the present status of their wish to have children, and wish for and experiences with pre-pregnancy counselling. METHODS: A questionnaire developed by physicians in collaboration with two women with SLE was sent to all (n = 177) women participating in the Amsterdam SLE cohort. The questionnaire comprised 32 items, of which 15 focused on the above-mentioned three themes. RESULTS: A total of 124 women (70%) returned the questionnaire. The median disease duration was 13 years (interquartile range 9-19). Childlessness occurred in 51 women and 31% declared this was due to SLE [conscious decision (21%), stringent medical advice (6%), infertility due to medication (4%)]. Half of the women preferred the first pre-pregnancy counselling immediately after the SLE diagnosis (53%), together with their partner (69%). Information given by healthcare providers (81%) was preferred over information provided via brochures (35%) or the internet (26%). Pre-pregnancy face-to-face counselling from a rheumatologist and/or gynaecologist separately was preferred in 54%. CONCLUSION: One-third of women attributed their childlessness to SLE-related reasons. Pre-pregnancy counselling was preferred shortly after the onset of the disease in a non-multidisciplinary setting. The results of this study underline the importance of timely pre-conceptional counselling by healthcare providers on fertility, risks and pregnancy outcomes in women with SLE.

Cohort profile: Singapore Preconception Study of Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes (S-PRESTO).

The Singapore Preconception Study of Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) is a preconception, longitudinal cohort study that aims to study the effects of nutrition, lifestyle, and maternal mood prior to and during pregnancy on the epigenome of the offspring and clinically important outcomes including duration of gestation, fetal growth, metabolic and neural phenotypes in the offspring. Between February 2015 and October 2017, the S-PRESTO study recruited 1039 Chinese, Malay or Indian (or any combinations thereof) women aged 18-45 years and who intended to get pregnant and deliver in Singapore, resulting in 1032 unique participants and 373 children born in the cohort. The participants were followed up for 3 visits during the preconception phase and censored at 12 months of follow up if pregnancy was not achieved (N = 557 censored). Women who successfully conceived (N = 475) were characterised at gestational weeks 6-8, 11-13, 18-21, 24-26, 27-28 and 34-36. Follow up of their index offspring (N = 373 singletons) is on-going at birth, 1, 3 and 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months and beyond. Women are also being followed up post-delivery. Data is collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires, metabolic imaging (magnetic resonance imaging), standardized anthropometric measurements and collection of diverse specimens, i.e. blood, urine, buccal smear, stool, skin tapes, epithelial swabs at numerous timepoints. S-PRESTO has extensive repeated data collected which include genetic and epigenetic sampling from preconception which is unique in mother-offspring epidemiological cohorts. This enables prospective assessment of a wide array of potential determinants of future health outcomes in women from preconception to post-delivery and in their offspring across the earliest development from embryonic stages into early childhood. In addition, the S-PRESTO study draws from the three major Asian ethnic groups that represent 50% of the global population, increasing the relevance of its findings to global efforts to address non-communicable diseases.

Evaluating the efficacy of three carrier screening workflows designed to identify at-risk carrier couples.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of three different carrier screening workflows designed to identify couples at risk for having offspring with autosomal recessive conditions. METHODS: Partner testing compliance, unnecessary testing, turnaround time, and ability to identify at-risk couples (ARCs) were measured across all three screening strategies (sequential, tandem, or tandem reflex). RESULTS: A total of 314,100 individuals who underwent carrier screening were analyzed. Sequential, tandem, and tandem reflex screening yielded compliance frequencies of 25.8%, 100%, and 95.9%, respectively. Among 14,595 couples tested in tandem, 42.2% of females were screen-negative, resulting in unnecessary testing of the male partner. In contrast, less than 1% of tandem reflex couples included unnecessary male testing. The median turnaround times were 29.2 days (sequential), 8 days (tandem), and 13.3 days (tandem reflex). The proportion of ARCs detected per total number of individual screens were 0.5% for sequential testing and 1.3% for both tandem and tandem reflex testing. CONCLUSION: The tandem reflex strategy simplifies a potentially complex clinical scenario by providing a mechanism by which providers can maximize partner compliance and the detection of at-risk couples while minimizing workflow burden and unnecessary testing and is more efficacious than both sequential and tandem screening strategies.

Degree of pregnancy planning and recommended pregnancy planning behavior among women with and without chronic medical conditions - A large hospital-based cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy planning allows women to engage in pregnancy planning behaviors to optimize health status in the preconception period. Women with chronic medical conditions have a higher risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes and therefore preconception care is recommended. The aim was to compare pregnancy planning among women with and without chronic medical conditions, and to assess adherence to the recommended pregnancy planning behaviors on folic acid intake, physical activity and abstention from smoking and alcohol, among women with and without chronic medical conditions stratified by pregnancy planning. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study with data from 28 794 pregnancies. Pregnancy planning was measured with the Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale. Multiple Poisson regression with robust variance estimates was used to assess the associations between chronic medical condition (yes/no and main categories) and pregnancy planning, and chronic medical condition status and pregnancy planning behaviors stratified by pregnancy planning. RESULTS: In the study population, 74% reported high degree of pregnancy planning, and 22% had one or more chronic medical conditions. We found no overall association between chronic medical condition and pregnancy planning (adjusted rate ratio [RR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-1.01). However, women with type 2 diabetes and mental illness were significantly less likely to plan their pregnancies than women without these conditions (aRR 0.73, 95% CI 0.61-0.88; aRR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87-0.96, respectively). Women with chronic medical conditions were more likely to adhere to the recommended planning behaviors; intake of folic acid, abstention from alcohol prior to pregnancy and no binge drinking in early pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, pregnancies were highly planned. Women with chronic medical conditions did not show a higher degree of pregnancy planning than women without chronic medical conditions but were, however. more likely to adhere to the generally recommended pregnancy planning behaviors (ie intake of folic acid and abstention from alcohol intake). Only women with mental illness and type 2 diabetes reported a lower degree of pregnancy planning. It is important that we continuously address pregnancy planning and planning behaviors for both women with and women without chronic medical conditions, especially women with type 2 diabetes and mental illness.

Utilization of preconception care and its impacts on health behavior changes among expectant couples in Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: Preconception care is an opportunity for detecting potential health risks in future parents and providing health behavior education to reduce morbidity and mortality for women and their offspring. Preconception care has been established in maternal and child health hospitals in Shanghai, China, which consists of health checkups, health education and counseling. This study investigated factors associated with the utilization of preconception care, and the role of preconception care on health behavior changes before conception among pregnant women and their partners. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women at three maternal and child health hospitals in Shanghai. The participants were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire on the utilization of preconception care and health behavioral changes before conception. RESULTS: Of the 948 recruited pregnant women, less than half (42.2%) reported that they had utilized preconception care before the current pregnancy. Unplanned pregnancy, unawareness of preconception care and already having a general physical examination were the main reasons for not attending preconception care. The two main sources of information about preconception care were local community workers and health professionals. Younger women and the multipara were less likely to utilize preconception care. Women who utilized preconception care were more likely to take folic acid supplements before conception [Adjusted Odds Ration (aOR) 3.27, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.45-4.36, P < 0.0001]. The partners of pregnant women who had attended preconception care services were more likely to stop smoking [aOR 2.76, 95%CI 1.48-5.17, P = 0.002] and to stop drinking [aOR 2.13, 95%CI 1.03-4.39, P = 0.041] before conception. CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of preconception care was demonstrated to be positively associated with preconception health behavior changes such as women taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy, their male partner stopping smoking and drinking before conception. Future studies are needed to explore barriers to utilizing preconception care services and understand the quality of the services. Strategies of promoting preconception care to expectant couples, especially to young and multipara women, should be developed to further improve the utilization of the services at the community level.

Associations between periconceptional lifestyle behaviours and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

BACKGROUND: While the potential adverse outcomes of prenatal exposure to unhealthy lifestyle are widely evidenced, little is known about these exposures in the periconception period. We investigated the associations between lifestyle behaviours and adverse pregnancy outcomes with a unique distinction between preconceptional- and prenatal lifestyle behaviours. METHODS: A secondary analysis took place within a prospective multicentre cohort study in the Netherlands, including 3,684 pregnant women. Baseline characteristics and preconceptional and first trimester lifestyle behaviours were assessed through a self-administered questionnaire in the first trimester. Adverse pregnancy outcomes (hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP), small for gestational age (SGA), gestational diabetes (GDM) and spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB)) were reported by healthcare professionals. Data were collected between 2012 and 2014 and analysed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Women who are overweight, and especially obese, have the highest odds of developing any adverse pregnancy outcome (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.61 (95 % Confidence Interval (CI) 1.31-1.99) and aOR 2.85 (95 %CI 2.20-3.68), respectively), particularly HDP and GDM. Women who prenatally continued smoking attained higher odds for SGA (aOR 1.91 (95 %CI 1.05-1.15)) compared to the reference group, but these odds decreased when women prenatally quit smoking (aOR 1.14 (95 %CI 0.59-2.21)). Women who did not use folic acid supplements tended to have a higher odds of developing adverse pregnancy outcomes (aOR 1.28 (95 %CI 0.97-1.69)), while women who prenatally started folic acid supplements did not (aOR 1.01 (95 %CI 0.82-1.25)). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that smoking cessation, having a normal body mass index (BMI) and initiating folic acid supplements preconceptionally may decrease the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, intervening as early as the preconception period could benefit the health of future generations.

Knowledge and utilisation of preconception care and associated factors among women in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Preconception care is the provision of biomedical, behavioural, and social health interventions provided to women and couples before conception. However, in Ethiopia, little is known and practised to support preconception care. Therefore, this study aimed to assess women's knowledge and utilisation of preconception care and its associated factors in Ethiopia using systematic review and meta-analysis. METHOD: In the current meta-analysis, variables were searched from different electronic database systems, which included PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, HINAR, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Grey literature. Data were extracted using a standardised data collection measurement tool. The data were analysed by using STATA 14 statistical software. I2 tests assessed heterogeneity between the studies. A random-effect model was used to forecast the pooled knowledge and utilisation of preconception care. RESULTS: Thirteen full-text studies were included. The pooled prevalence of knowledge and utilisation of preconception care among women in Ethiopia was 30.95% and 16.27% respectivelly. Secondary education (OR = 2.78, 95% CI,2.01-3.85), college and above (OR = 5.05, 95% CI,2.70-9.44), and antenatal care (OR = 3.89, 95% CI, 1.69-8.98) were significantly associated with knowledge level whereas; age (OR = 2.43, 95% CI, 1.30-4.53) and knowledge on preconception care (OR = 3.95, 95% CI,2.35-6.62) were positively associated with utilisation of preconception. CONCLUSIONS: Women's level of knowledge and utilisation of preconception care was significantly low. Educational status and antenatal care follow-up were factors shown to affect knowledge of preconception care. Age and having a sound knowledge of preconception care indicated a significant association towards utilisation of preconception care. Thus, integrating preconception care strategies and policies that can address all the components of preconception care services with other maternal and child health services will be essential when designing effective implementation strategies to improve preconception care uptake. Besides this, advocating for better education for women, awareness creation, and increasing antenatal care services are essential. Prospero registration: CRD42020218062.

Determinants of practice of preconception care among women of reproductive age group in southern Ethiopia, 2020: content analysis.

BACKGROUND: Preconception care (PCC) is a series of biomedical, mental, and psycho-social health services provided to women and a couple before pregnancy and throughout subsequent pregnancies for desired outcomes. Millions of women and new-borns have died in low-income countries due to impediments that arise before and exaggerate during pregnancies that are not deal with as part of pre-conception care. To the best of our knowledge, however, there is a lack of information about preconception care practice and its determinants in southern Ethiopia, including the study area. This study was therefore planned to assess the practice of preconception care and its determinants among mothers who recently gave birth in Wolkite town, southern Ethiopia, in 2020. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1 to 30, 2020. A total of 600 mothers who have given birth in the last 12 months have been randomly selected. A two-stage sampling technique was employed. For data collection, a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used. The data was encoded and entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and exported for analysis to SPSS version 23. Household wealth status was determined through the application of principal component analysis(PCA). The practice PCC was considered as a count variable and measured as a minimum score of 0 and a maximum of 10. A bivariable statistical analysis was performed through analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-tests and variables with a p-value of < 0.05 were eligible for the generalized linear regression model. To see the weight of each explanatory variable on PCC utilization, generalized linear regression with a Poisson link was done. RESULTS: Of the sampled 600 participants, 591 took part in the study, which yielded a response rate of 98.8%.The mean (± SD) score of the practice of PCC was 3.94 (± 1.98) with minimum and maximum scores of 0 and 10 respectively. Only 6.4% (95%CI: 4.6, 8.6) of mothers received all selected items of PCC services. Thecommonest item received by 67.2% of mothers was Folic acid supplementation, while 16.1% of mothers received the least item of optimizing psychological health. Education status of mother[AOR 0.74, 95%CI 0.63, 0.97], time spent to access nearby health facilities [AOR 0.69, 95%CI 0.58, 0.83], availability of PCC unit [AOR 1.46; 95%CI 1.17, 1.67], mother's knowledge on PCC [AOR 1.34, 95%CI 1.13, 1.65], being a model household [AOR 1.31, 95%CI 1.18, 1.52] and women's autonomy in decision making [AOR 0.75, 95%CI 0.64, 0.96] were identified as significant predictors of practice of PCC. CONCLUSION: The uptake of WHO-recommended PCC service elements in the current study area was found to be unsatisfactory. Stakeholders must therefore increase their efforts to align PCC units with existing MNCH service delivery points, improve women's decision-making autonomy, and focus on behavioral change communication to strengthen PCC practice. Plain language summary Preconception care (PCC) is a series of biomedical, mental, and psycho-social health services provided to women and a couple before pregnancy and throughout subsequent pregnancies for better endings. The main goal of the PCC is to improve maternal and child health outcomes, by-promoting wellness and providing preventive care. It can also be seen as an earlier chance for teenage girls, mothers, and children to live a better and longer-term healthy life. Pieces of PCC service packages suggested by the World Health Organization(WHO) are, micronutrient supplementation (Folate supplementation), infectious disease (STI/HIV) screening and testing, chronic disease screening and management, healthy diet therapy, vaccination, prevention of substance use (cessation of cigarette smoking and too much alcohol consumption), optimizing psychological health, counseling on the importance of exercise and reproductive health planning and implementation. Millions of women and new-borns have died in low-income countries due to impediments that arise before and exaggerate during pregnancies that are not deal with as part of pre-conception care. To the best of our knowledge, however, there is a lack of information about preconception care practice and its determinants in southern Ethiopia, including the study area. This study was therefore planned to evaluate the practice of preconception care and its determinants among mothers who recently gave birth in Wolkite town, southern Ethiopia, in 2020. Mothers who have given birth in the last 12 months have been randomly selected Household wealth status was determined through the application of principal component analysis(PCA). To see the weight of each explanatory variable on PCC, generalized linear regression with a Poisson type was done. Accordingly, the Education status of the mother, time spent to access nearby health facilities, availability of PCC unit, mother's knowledge on PCC, being a model household, and women's autonomy in decision making were identified as significant predictors of practice of PCC. Stakeholders must therefore increase their efforts to align PCC units with existing MNCH service delivery points, improve women's decision-making autonomy, and focus on behavioral change communication to strengthen PCC practice.

Current attitudes and preconceptions towards expanded carrier screening in the Eastern Chinese reproductive-aged population.

PURPOSE: A growing number of Chinese individuals of reproductive age will face the choice of accepting or refusing expanded carrier screening (ECS). This study aimed to explore the awareness, wishes, and possible misconceptions of ECS among this population, as well as factors affecting their decision-making. METHODS: Chinese reproductive-aged individuals in Eastern China who sought cell-free fetal DNA screening and peripheral blood karyotype were invited to complete a 31-item ECS survey by scanning a specific quick response code. We evaluated the relationship between awareness, attitudes, and intentions to participate in ECS, along with possible misconceptions. RESULTS: Overall, 93.1% of participants intended to undergo ECS at their expenses, and 53.6% indicated they would pay less than 1000 CNY (approximately 145 USD) for the test. Around 96.5% of participants had misconceptions about ECS and genetic diseases. Participants whose first reaction was interest, who had prior awareness of the test, or who perceived benefits were more likely to intend to use ECS (p < 0.001). Participants with a bachelor's degree or above or with a household income over 150,000 CNY (approximately 21,700 USD) would be more likely to pay ≥ 1000 CNY (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that overall, the Eastern Chinese reproductive-aged population has positive attitudes towards ECS, although there are some misconceptions about ECS and genetic disorders. Population-based ECS appears to be desired by the reproductive-aged people in Eastern China. Steps should be taken to offer ECS along with pre- and post-test education and genetic counseling to raise awareness and to reduce misconceptions.

Knowledge of Preconception Healthcare and Associated Factors: A Study among Mothers in Jinka Town, Southern Region, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Preconception healthcare is promising to improve the reproductive health status of women and couples if they receive care three months to two years before conception. In the current context of Ethiopia, however, preconception healthcare is overlooked in the continuum of care. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge of preconception healthcare and associated factors: a study among mothers in Jinka town, southern region, Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among 522 randomly selected women of childbearing age who are living in Jinka town from March to April 2018. The study considers all the kebeles in the town. Study subjects were determined using proportionate-to-population size allocation. Then, a systematic random sampling technique was applied. Data were collected using a semistructured and pretested questionnaire. Descriptive summary data and binary logistic regression analysis were carried out to identify factors with the 95% confidence level and a p value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 513 study subjects participated in this study. The overall preconception healthcare knowledge score of women in Jinka town was 51.1%. In the multivariable analysis, housewives (AOR = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.38-6.19), an education level of at least college (AOR = 3.79; 95% CI: 1.75-8.23), no history of neonatal death (AOR = 4.13; 95% CI = 1.39-12.25), and the use of family planning methods (AOR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.49-3.79) increased the probability of preconception healthcare knowledge compared to the counterparts. CONCLUSION: In this study, women's knowledge of preconception healthcare was found borderline. The identified factors were housewife, education level of at least college, no history of neonatal death, and using family planning methods. Therefore, emphasizing these factors for the enhancement of women's knowledge of preconception healthcare is a necessary step.

An Irish National Diabetes in Pregnancy Audit: aiming for best outcomes for women with diabetes.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to identify the number of pregnancies affected by pre-gestational diabetes in the Republic of Ireland; to report on pregnancy outcomes and to identify areas for improvement in care delivery and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Healthcare professionals caring for women with pre-gestational diabetes during pregnancy were invited to participate in this retrospective study. Data pertaining to 185 pregnancies in women attending 15 antenatal centres nationally were collected and analysed. Included pregnancies had an estimated date of delivery between 1 January and 31 December 2015. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 122 (65.9%) women with Type 1 diabetes and 56 (30.3%) women with Type 2 diabetes. The remaining 7 (3.8%) pregnancies were to women with maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) (n = 6) and post-transplant diabetes (n = 1). Overall women were poorly prepared for pregnancy and lapses in specific areas of service delivery including pre-pregnancy care and retinal screening were identified. The majority of pregnancies 156 (84.3%) resulted in a live birth. A total of 103 (65.5%) women had a caesarean delivery and 58 (36.9%) infants were large for gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: This audit identifies clear areas for improvement in delivery of care for women with diabetes in the Republic of Ireland before and during pregnancy.

The effect of the National Birth Defects Intervention Project on the prevention of congenital disabilities among children in China: a natural experiment.

Most childhood disabilities are caused by congenital factors such as birth defects. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of periconceptional nutrition intervention on the prevention of congenital disability among Chinese children using the National Birth Defects Intervention Project as a natural experiment. We obtained individual-level data from the Second National Sample Survey on Disability, a nationally representative survey, and 110 365 children born between September 1999 and August 2003 were included for analysis. Difference-in-differences estimates of the project effects on congenital disability were captured by exploiting temporal variation in the timing of project exposure across four birth cohorts along with geographical variation in project category at the province level. The findings contribute to an emerging body of evidence showing that prenatal micronutrient intervention before and during early pregnancy could substantially reduce the risk of congenital disability in childhood (OR 0·73; 95 % CI 0·57, 0·94). The National Birth Defects Intervention Project improved the awareness of reproductive health and disability prevention in the population. It highlights the need for a potential policy change focusing on early-life health investment in China.

Maternal use of folic acid and multivitamin supplements and infant risk of birth defects in Norway, 1999-2013.

The association between folic acid supplementation and birth defects other than neural tube defects (NTD) remains unclear. We used a log-binomial regression model to investigate if periconceptional folic acid and/or multivitamin use was associated with birth defects in Norway with prospectively collected data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) during 1999-2013. We used the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies (EUROCAT) classification system to define eleven organ-specific major birth defect groups (nervous system, eye, ear-face-neck, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, oral clefts, digestive system, abdominal wall, urinary system, genital organs and limb), with additional subgroups. Fetuses or infants whose mothers used folic acid and/or multivitamin supplements before and during pregnancy were classified as exposed. During the years 1999-2013, 888 294 (99·0 %) live-born infants, 6633 (0·7 %) stillborn infants and 2135 (0·2 %) fetuses from terminated pregnancies due to fetal anomalies were registered in the MBRN. Among the live- and stillborn infants of women who used vitamin supplements compared with infants of non-users, the adjusted relative risk (aRR) was 0·94 (95 % CI 0·91, 0·98) for total birth defects (n 18 382). Supplement use was associated with reduced risk of abdominal wall defects (aRR 0·58; 95 % CI 0·42, 0·80, n 377), genital organ defects (aRR 0·81; 95 % CI 0·72, 0·91, n 2299) and limb defects (aRR 0·81; 95 % CI 0·74, 0·90, n 3409). Protective associations were also suggested for NTD, respiratory system defects and digestive system defects although CI included the null value of 1. During the full study period, statistically significant associations between supplement use and defects in the eye, ear-face-neck, heart or oral clefts were not observed.

It takes two: uptake of carrier screening among male reproductive partners.

OBJECTIVE: To describe uptake of carrier screening by male reproductive partners of prenatal and preconception patients. METHODS: A retrospective database review of all prenatal and preconception patients seen for genetic counseling in Maternal Fetal Medicine clinics was performed. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used on the data set. RESULTS: Within the study period, 6087 patients were seen for genetic counseling, of whom 661 were identified as a carrier of an autosomal recessive disorder by their referring provider or genetic counselor. Despite guidelines recommending partner testing for risk clarification when a woman is known to be a carrier of an autosomal recessive condition, only 41.5% male partners elected carrier screening to clarify the couple's reproductive risk, with a majority of males (75%) having screening consecutively. Of all assessed variables, the only significant predictors of male carrier screening uptake were female parity and earlier gestational age (p < .0001, and p = .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: With less than half of male partners pursuing carrier screening when indicated, its utility becomes severely diminished. More research is needed to explore reasons why males elect or decline carrier screening.

Why do women not prepare for pregnancy? Exploring women's and health care providers' views on barriers to uptake of preconception care in Mana District, Southwest Ethiopia: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Preconception care has the potential to reduce maternal and child morbidities and mortalities. It is a window of opportunity to timely alter or eliminate risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, despite strong evidence on the effectiveness of preconception care in safeguarding maternal and child health, its uptake remains low. Therefore, this study aimed to explore barriers to the uptake of preconception care. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in Mana district, Jimma Zone, Oromia region, Southwest Ethiopia from March 02 to April 10, 2019. A purposive sampling approach was used, and 13 key informant interviews (6 in rural and 7 in urban areas) were held with women of different age groups, health extension workers, and health care providers of different professions. In addition, 4 focused group discussions with women of reproductive age groups (two with rural women only and two with urban women only) were conducted. The data were collected by trained experts using semi-structured guides. An inductive process of thematic analysis was employed and the data were coded, categorized, and thematized using Atlas ti version 7.0.71 software. RESULTS: Four women of reproductive age groups, 1 older woman (grandmother), 2 health extension workers, and 6 health care providers of different professions were interviewed. In addition, a total of 38 women of reproductive age groups participated in the 4 focused group discussions: 20 in the two rural-focused group discussions and 18 in the two urban-focused group discussions. The findings indicated the presence of many barriers affecting the uptake of preconception care and organized into five themes: women-related barriers, husband-related barriers, community-related barriers, health-service-related barriers, and media-related barriers. CONCLUSIONS: This study found a diverse array of potentially modifiable barriers to the uptake of preconception care. The findings imply the importance of scaling up health education and counseling, establishing preconception care strategies and functional units that can address all the components at all levels of health care facilities. Therefore, we recommend all stakeholders, such as program planners and managers, non-governmental organizations, media personnel, and health care providers to work in collaboration to increase the uptake of preconception care.

Folic acid supplementation, dietary folate intake and risk of small for gestational age in China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hypothesis that folic acid supplementation and dietary folate intake before conception and during pregnancy reduce the risk of small for gestational age (SGA) and to examine the joint effect of folic acid supplementation and dietary folate intake on the risk of SGA. DESIGN: Participants were interviewed by trained study interviewers using a standardized and structured questionnaire. Information on birth outcomes and maternal complications was abstracted from medical records and dietary information was collected via a semi-quantitative FFQ before conception and during pregnancy. SETTING: A birth cohort data analysis using the 2010-2012 Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Women (n 8758) and their children enrolled in the study. RESULTS: Folic acid supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of SGA (OR = 0·72, 95 % CI 0·60, 0·86), with the reduced risk seen mainly for SGA at ≥37 weeks of gestational age (OR = 0·70, 95 % CI 0·58, 0·85) and nulliparous SGA (OR = 0·67, 95 % CI 0·54, 0·84). There was no significant association between dietary folate intake and SGA risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that folic acid supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of SGA and the risk varied by preterm status and parity.

Knowledge, uptake of preconception care and associated factors among reproductive age group women in West Shewa zone, Ethiopia, 2018.

BACKGROUND: Preconception care is a set of interventions that are to be provided before pregnancy, to promrote the health and well-being of womwen and couples . METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among a sample of 680 reproductive-aged women in the West Shewa zone, Oromia regional state, from November 2017 until the end of January 2018. The data were collected using a pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The collected data were coded and entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS 22 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to determine factors associated with the outcome variable. The association was presented in odds ratio with 95% confidence interval and significance determined at a P-value less than 0.05. RESULT: A total of 669 participants had participated with a response rate of 98.3%. Among the respondants, only 179 (26.8%) had a good knowledge of PCC and 97 (14.5%) of them had utilized PCC. Factors that show significant association with good knowledge of PCC are history of institutional delivery (AOR = 1.43 (95%CI (1.31-7.33), PNC service utilization, (AOR = 5.02 (95%CI (3.22-7.84), history of using modern contraceptive, (AOR = 1.44 (95%CI (1.37-6.98) higher educational status (AOR = 4.12 (95%CI (1.22-6.52) and being regularly employed (AOR = 1.8 (95%CI (1.01-3.22). Factors like better family monthly income (AOR = 4.1 (95%CI (1.57-9.35), history of PNC (AOR = 6.33 (95%CI (3.94-10.17) and good knowledge of PCC (AOR = 4.3 (95%CI (2.67-6.98) had shown positive association towards the uptake of PCC. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: This study found that only one-quarter of the women in the study has good knowledge of PCC and low uptake of PCC. History of institutional delivery, PNC service utilization, history of using a modern contraceptive, educational status and being regularly employed were factors that affect knowledge of PCC and family income, having good knowledge about PCC and history of PNC were affect the uptake of PCC.Therefore, PCC needs serious attention from the government and other stakeholders.