Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
FISH for Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis
Published on: February 23, 2011
Health professionals' beliefs and attitudes towards preconception care: a systematic review
Cherie Caut1, Danielle Schoenaker2,3,4, Erica McIntyre5,6
1Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Building 10, Level 8, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. cherie.d.caut@student.uts.edu.au.
Background:
Health professionals have previously identified various barriers and factors that would help facilitate preconception care services in healthcare settings. Clinically relevant preconception information and clinical practice guidelines have since been developed to aid health professionals in preconception care delivery. This systematic review aimed to (1) synthesise recent literature (past 8 years) describing health professionals' beliefs and attitudes towards preconception care services or programmes and (2) determine if the experience of health professionals providing preconception care has changed compared to literature reviews conducted more than 8 years ago.
Methods:
Five databases were searched between 27/01/2016 and 20/11/2024. Primary quantitative and qualitative research studies were included if they examined health professionals' beliefs and attitudes towards delivering preconception care services or programmes. Study quality was assessed using the CASP Checklist (qualitative studies) and AXIS tool (quantitative studies). Data synthesis used thematic categorisation adapted from the framework approach.
Results:
Twenty-seven studies were included (n = 11 qualitative, n = 14 quantitative, n = 2 mixed-methods studies). Methodological quality was generally good for qualitative studies but varied for quantitative studies. The results covered three categories: (1) addressing preconception care health literacy (i.e. lack of knowledge, awareness, training and resources), (2) clinical practicalities of preconception care (i.e. need for coordination of care and clarity on role responsibility), and (3) the role of the patient (i.e. need for public health education to support patient-led conversations).
Conclusions:
Little has changed regarding the barriers and facilitators to providing preconception care reported by health professionals. To improve the provision of preconception care, there is a need to co-develop professional and public preconception health education, clinical resources, and a coordinated preconception healthcare service model.
More Related Videos
14:43A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
06:28E-Patient Counseling Trial E-PACO: Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services
01:26Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
01:25Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
01:18Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...