Authors
1 Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
2 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Heart Failure Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Preconception care is a set of interventions that aim to identify and repair the factors
that can affect the outcome of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of
receiving preconception care, its relation with recipients’ individuality, fertility, and determining the
reason for lack of checkup.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive cross‑sectional study that was conducted based
on simple stratified random quota sampling on 702 women who gave birth in hospitals of Isfahan (Iran)
from April to June in 2016. The tool of collecting data was researcher‑made questionnaire. The data
were analyzed by the SPSS software version 18 using the mean, standard deviation, relativity, and
independent Chi‑square tests.
RESULTS: The results showed that 47.7% of participants had received preconception care. There
was a significant relationship between educational levels, income, wanted pregnancy, number of
pregnancies, and previous individual delivery with preconception care (P < 0/05). The main reason
for the lack of preconception care was unplanned pregnancy.
CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study indicated that the quantity of preconception care is not
desirable. Therefore, notifying and sensitizing women of childbearing age is essential to refer to
service centers and receiving preconception care and planning to present it to all eligible women
before pregnancy care. The main causes of the lack of preconception care can be adjusted through
health programs.
Keywords
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