While it is important to have screening techniques to identify fetal abnormalities, the healthcare team must also recognize that many obstetrical and fetal health problems can be avoided if adequate precaution is taken; especially when scientific literatures now show that chromosomal abnormalities, short- and long-term health outcomes found in the children born are not only caused by random mutations in their genes, but also influenced by the environment, lifestyle, and chemicals — all of which are modifiable factors that can be improved with good preconception care — that the prospective mother is exposed to.
Preconception care, or the care of women prior to conceiving a child, offers women of reproductive age the lifestyle and environmental choices that give them the best chance of having an optimal pregnancy and delivering healthy children. It helps them prepare and plan for their pregnancy, especially for the first trimester which is the most crucial time for the development of the fetus. For instance, the importance of exposure avoidance and adequate nutrition during the first trimester should be a topic that the reproductive woman must understand before she decides to conceive a child because it is during the first trimester when the fetus starts to form its major organs. Furthermore, preconception care ensures that appropriate interventions are performed and certain medical conditions are addressed before conception especially if it involves interventions that are not advisable to be done while the woman is already pregnant. This greatly reduces maternal and/or pediatric problems and optimizes health outcomes. The article also emphasized that good preconception care aims to educate women and their partners about gestational requirements, exposures, and avoidance to make a substantial difference in pregnancy outcomes. This includes educating them about the potential benefits and harms in their everyday environment, and teaching them how lifestyle modifications can have a positive impact on the health outcomes for them and their children. Being informed of the necessary information prior to pregnancy somehow makes it easier for the woman to prepare for her needed lifestyle changes when she finally becomes pregnant. It is also great that preconception care comes in the form of generalized instruction and individualized personal care because both the woman's general and specific needs may be addressed, further helping her with her pregnancy and in delivering a healthy baby.
To sum it up, preconception care plays an important role in optimizing the woman's health during pregnancy as well as the health of her future children. At a time where scientific literatures continue to explain and show the importance of preconception care, failure to implement the necessary precautionary education may result in the healthcare team being liable for preventive illness in children. To quote the authors from the article, "the consequences for individuals, for society, and for the medical community of failing to do so are far too high."
Reference:
Genuis, S. J., & Genuis, R. A. (2016). Preconception Care: A New Standard of Care within Maternal Health Services. BioMed Research International, 2016, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6150976