Prepregnancy Lifestyle Risk Factors in Women Seeking Digital Fertility Services: Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Maternal Health

Background:

• Adverse pregnancy outcomes affect approximately one-third of US pregnancies, contributing to high maternal and infant mortality rates.
• Modifiable preconception lifestyle factors are linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, emphasizing the importance of preconception care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the prevalence of preconception lifestyle risk factors among women using a digital fertility platform.
• To characterize the study population and compare it with reference data.
• To examine the distribution of prepregnancy lifestyle scores across demographic and clinical subgroups.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study analyzed data from 396 adult women using a digital fertility platform between May and June 2024.
• Participants completed a digital fertility questionnaire assessing 6 healthy prepregnancy lifestyle factors (BMI, smoking, physical activity, diet, alcohol intake, prenatal vitamin use).
• A composite score (0-6) was assigned based on the number of healthy behaviors reported.

Main Results:

• The study population was diverse, with a mean age of 32.9 years.
• Most participants (59%) reported 3 or fewer healthy lifestyle factors; less than 5% reported all 6.
• Compared to reference data, this cohort had higher rates of unhealthy BMI and dietary patterns. Infertility affected 46% of participants.

Conclusions:

• A majority of women seeking digital fertility services presented with multiple lifestyle risk factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• These findings suggest nearly all participants have potential risk factors and could benefit from lifestyle improvements.
• Digital platforms may facilitate the identification of preconception risks, but longitudinal studies are needed to assess intervention effectiveness for behavior change and improved maternal outcomes.