Veteran-Reported Receipt of Prepregnancy Care: Data from the Examining Contraceptive Use and Unmet Need (ECUUN) Study

To identify the prevalence of women Veterans reporting receipt of counseling about health optimization prior to pregnancy, topics most frequently discussed, and factors associated with receipt of this care.

We analyzed data from a nationally representative, cross-sectional telephone survey of women Veterans (n = 2302) ages 18-45 who used VA for primary care in the previous year. Our sample included women who were (1) currently pregnant or trying to become pregnant, (2) not currently trying but planning for pregnancy in the future, or (3) unsure of pregnancy intention. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine adjusted associations of patient- and provider-level factors with receipt of any counseling about health optimization prior to pregnancy (prepregnancy counseling) and with counseling on specific topics.

Among 512 women who were considering or unsure about pregnancy, fewer than half (49%) reported receiving any prepregnancy counseling from a VA provider in the past year. For those who did, the most frequently discussed topics included healthy weight (29%), medication safety (27%), smoking (27%), and folic acid use before pregnancy (27%). Factors positively associated with receipt of prepregnancy counseling include history of mental health conditions (aOR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.28, 3.00) and receipt of primary care within a dedicated women's health clinic (aOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.35, 3.18), whereas factors negatively associated include far-future and unsure pregnancy intentions (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.71 and aOR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.70, respectively).

Routine assessment of pregnancy preferences in primary care could identify individuals to whom counseling about health optimization prior to pregnancy can be offered to promote patient-centered family planning care.