Developing consensus on priorities for preconception care in the general practice setting in the UK: Study protocol.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Primary Care Medicine
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Preconception risk factors are prevalent among reproductive-aged individuals, impacting pregnancy and offspring outcomes.
• Current clinical guidance encourages preconception care, but it's not routinely practiced due to barriers like time and resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To achieve consensus on priority risk factors for opportunistic preconception care in general practice.
• To inform the co-development of practical best practice guidance for preconception health.

Main Methods:

• A consensus study involving a Public Advisory Group, literature review, workshops, and interviews.
• A three-round eDelphi survey for stakeholder prioritization of risk factors.
• Consensus meetings to finalize the priority list, recruiting participants from the UK.

Main Results:

• The study protocol was approved by the University of Southampton Ethics Committee.
• Findings will be disseminated through publications, presentations, and community organizations.

Conclusions:

• This research aims to establish a priority list of risk factors to guide general practitioners in providing opportunistic preconception care.
• The ultimate goal is to improve health outcomes for individuals of reproductive age and their children.