Associations Between Modifiable Preconception Care Indicators and Pregnancy Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Preconception care is crucial for optimizing maternal health before pregnancy.
• Identifying modifiable indicators within preconception care can potentially mitigate adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• Preterm birth remains a significant concern in maternal and child health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore gaps and opportunities in preconception care.
• To determine if modifiable preconception care indicators are associated with preterm birth.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case-control study of patients aged 18+ who delivered preterm versus full-term.
• Matched 1:2 based on age, parity, and history of preterm delivery.
• Analyzed documentation of 11 key preconception care indicators from pre-pregnancy and prenatal intake visits.

Main Results:

• Elevated blood pressure (>120/80) in the preconception period (OR=1.84) and at prenatal intake (OR=1.68) was significantly associated with preterm birth.
• Patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≤18 or ≥30 at prenatal visit were nearly twice as likely (OR=1.85) to have preterm births.
• Identified specific modifiable indicators linked to increased risk of preterm delivery.

Conclusions:

• Body Mass Index (BMI) and Blood Pressure (BP) are critical targets for preconception counseling.
• Further research is needed to explore the influence of these and other indicators on various pregnancy outcomes.
• Highlights the importance of optimizing maternal health through targeted preconception interventions.