Discuss how preconception care contributes to a healthy pregnancy and positive pregnancy outcomes.
Women of reproductive age should be given appropriate and sufficient provision of conception care (pre, intra, or post) in order for both the mother and the child to achieve optimum health for a better chance of survival because this group is part of the most vulnerable population in the world.
The paper discusses various determinant factors that should be considered and addressed especially the provision of preconception care and how this positively affects pregnancy outcomes and also the healthy pregnancy of the mother. The modification of these environmental factors prior to conception argues for the possibility of improving both the mental and physical health conditions of the mother and child.
First is that it was addressed that nutritional adequacy is one of the vital components that a pregnant woman should achieve. Specifically, sufficient amounts of magnesium, iron, vitamin D, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and a healthy microbiome environment prevent the occurrence of different associated effects such as adverse gestational and labor outcomes as well as positive health conditions to the mother after giving birth. Closely monitoring and supplementation of these vitamins and certain foods contribute also to lessening the long-term pediatric adverse complications.
The second is that the paper discusses 3 major concerns that should be avoided by women in the reproductive age, especially those who are already pregnant. These are chemical exposures, electrical exposure, and emerging exposures of concern.
The following are the identified subtypes of concerns of chemical exposure, 1) Household and vehicle exposure, 2) maternal occupational exposure, 3) Food Choices: Insecticide and Herbicide Exposures, 4) Exposure to Toxic Elements and Prenatal Supplement Contamination. It was also proposed that mentioned preconception measures in the paper will prevent adverse health effects outcomes in psychiatric, neurologic, cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolism for both the mother and the developing fetus.
Moreover, and to be specific electrical exposure can cause the following adverse outcomes: Hyperactivity and poorer memory of the offspring, increase fetal heart rate and decrease cardiac output, decrease birth weight, dose-dependent increased risk of miscarriage, asthma, spinal cord damage, and other effects base on the continuous study. Therefore simple measures can be taught through preconception and prenatal health education as this will considerably or significantly diminish maternal and fetal exposure to EMR.
Lastly, preconception measures to address the emerging exposures of concern (paternal, nanoparticles, and genetically modified foods) were mentioned such as the ff: 1) Young couples should be apprised of the potential risk so that precautionary measures may be considered 2) Simple instructions that will be provided to prospective mothers alerting them to the risks of nanoparticle exposure and educating them about means to minimize exposure to these potentially teratogenic agents. 3) Maternity health providers have encouraged and taught a precautionary approach in order to preclude and yet unforeseen risk. These measures can potentially diminish the probability of disruption of biological functions that leads to fetal neurotoxicity, structural and functional abnormalities of the placenta, congenital birth defects, chromosomal aberrations, and other possible short and long-term pediatric outcomes.
In conclusion, as future professionals in the allied health care field, our values should be aligned to the advocacy of this paper and that is to promote and be part of the environmental health education of maternity health professionals alongside the widespread adoption and implementation of preconception care.
Reference:
Genuis, S. J., & Genuis, R. A. (2016). Preconception care: a new standard of care within maternal health services. BioMed Research International, 2016.