Knowledge and practices of preconception care among rural Japanese women: findings from a mixed methods investigation

Preconception care is not widespread in Japan and there is a pressing need to improve the practice. The present study assessed the knowledge and behavior of preconception care among women to seek effective intervention. Our research questions were: 1) How much do women know about preconception care? 2) How much are they practicing preconception care and what are the information sources of their behavior? 3) Do the women's preconception care behavior associated with accurate knowledge?

The research was conducted in a rural town in central Japan. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, we undertook interviews, developed a survey based on the qualitative results, and then conducted a survey. The interviews explored how preconception care was perceived and practiced in women of childbearing age. The survey was designed to investigate the knowledge of preconception care among women with and without pregnancy experience, their practice behavior of preconception care, and whether the behavior is associated with knowledge.

The participants were 13 for the interview and 232 for the survey. They had limited access to preconception care recommendations and advice for specific actions was given by obstetricians and gynecologists after pregnancy. There was a large gap in knowledge about preconception care between parous and nulliparous women, especially about the need for folic acid supplementation. Practices that were manageable in their daily lives, such as cessation of smoking and alcohol, diet, and weight management, were considered common sense. In contrast, recommended practices that require medical attention, such as screening for sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer, tended to be less accurately known and practiced. Participants' sources of information about preconception care were the Internet, family and friends and mass media.

In rural Japan, women of childbearing age lack knowledge about preconception care, especially before their first pregnancy. Primary care providers should try outreach to schools and women's groups in the community, promote information sharing among family and close friends, and utilize information technology to enhance the knowledge and practice of preconception care.