Discuss how preconception care contributes to healthy pregnancy and positive pregnancy outcomes.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), preconception care may be defined as “any intervention provided to women and couples of childbearing age, regardless of pregnancy status or desire, before pregnancy, to improve health outcomes for women, newborns, and children”. It emphasizes the care for the mother as well as the child. Preconception care contributes to a healthy pregnancy by recognizing risks and allowing the health care professional to provide interventions that can help the mother.
In our country, there are still some mothers who are not aware and knowledgeable about their health before and during pregnancy which strengthens the risks of having adverse outcomes of pregnancy. Through preconception care the mother would have an idea or knowledge of what she can do in order to prevent risks and unfortunate events before during and after her pregnancy, thus delivering the child healthy.
For instance, it has been estimated that 16 million adolescent girls between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth each year, representing approximately 11% of all births worldwide (WHO, 2007). According to WHO, married and unmarried adolescent girls often lack education, support, and access to health care that would allow them to make decisions about their reproductive health. This lack of education, support, and access to health care increased the risks of having premature and low – birthweight babies. Additionally, these girls are not mentally, physically, and even financially prepared enough to deliver and raise a child. Due to this, the World Health Organization promotes preconception care because interventions within this care promote reproductive planning, improve nutrition, encourage healthy sexual behaviors and prevent substance use and partner violence which are likely to have greater benefits to adolescent girls and boys.
Preconception care does not only promote reproductive health for the mother but also planning and interventions, as mentioned above. This planning and interventions may help in order to prevent or reduce lessen the risks, allowing the mother to enter pregnancy in the best possible health and to have the best possible chance of giving birth to a healthy newborn (WHO).
REFERENCE:
World Health Organization. (n.d.). CARE BEFORE PREGNANCY. https://www.who.int/pmnch/media/news/2012/borntoosoon_chapter3.pdf#:~:text=Preconception%20care%20simultaneously%20promotes%20reproductive%20planning%20and%20interventions,chance%20of%20giving%20birth%20to%20a%20healthy%20newborn .