Physician perspectives on routine pregnancy intention screening and counseling in primary care

ObjectivesTo assess factors associated with routine pregnancy intention screening by primary care physicians and their support for such an initiative.Study designWe conducted a cross-sectional survey study of 443 primary care physicians in New York State. We performed multivariable logistic regression analyses of physician support for routine pregnancy intention screening and implementation of screening in the last year. Predictors included in the models were physician age, sex, specialty, clinic setting, and, for the outcome of support for screening, experience with screening in the last year.ResultsIn this convenience sample, the vast majority of respondents from all specialties (88%) felt pregnancy intention screening should be routinely included in primary care, with 48% reporting that they routinely perform such screening. The preferred wording for this question was one which assessed reproductive health service needs. In multivariable analyses, internal medicine physicians were less likely than family medicine physicians to have provided routine pregnancy intention screening (aOR = 0.15, 95% CI 0.09, 0.25). Only 8% of the sample reported they required more training to implement pregnancy intention screening, but more reported needing training prior to contraceptive provision (17%), contraceptive counseling (16%), and preconception care (15%). More internal medicine and other types of doctors cited a need for this additional training than family medicine physicians.ConclusionsMost responding primary care physicians supported routine integration of pregnancy intention screening. Incorporating additional training, especially for internal medicine physicians, in contraception and preconception care counseling is key to ensuring success.Implications statementResponding primary care physicians supported routine inclusion of reproductive health needs assessment in primary care. Primary care may become increasingly important for ensuring access to a full range of reproductive health services. Providing necessary training, especially for internal medicine physicians, is needed prior to routine inclusion.     

The effects of preconception interventions on improving reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes in primary care: A systematic review

Background: Reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes may be improved if the reproductive risk assessment is moved from the antenatal to the preconception period. Primary care has been highlighted as an ideal setting to offer preconception assessment, yet the effectiveness in this setting is still unclear.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of preconception interventions on improving reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes in primary care.

Methods: MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases were searched from July 1999 to the end of July 2015. Only interventional studies with a comparator were included, analysed and appraised systematically, taking into consideration the similarities and differences of the participants, the nature of interventions and settings.

Results: Eight randomized controlled trials were eligible. Preconception interventions involved multifactorial or single reproductive health risk assessment, education and counselling and the intensity ranged from brief, involving a single session within a day to intensive, involving more than one session over several weeks. Five studies recruited women planning a pregnancy. Four studies involved multifactorial risks interventions; two were brief and the others were intensive. Four studies involved single risk intervention, addressing folate or alcohol. There was some evidence that both multifactorial and single risk interventions improved maternal knowledge; self-efficacy and health locus of control; and risk behaviour, irrespective of whether brief or intensive. There was no evidence to support reduced adverse pregnancy outcomes. One study reported no undue anxiety. The quality of the studies was moderate to poor.

Conclusion: The evidence from eligible studies is limited to inform future practice in primary care. Nevertheless, this review has highlighted that women who received preconception education and counselling were more likely to have improved knowledge, self-efficacy and health locus of control and risk behaviour. More studies are needed to evaluate the effects on adverse pregnancy outcomes.     

Pre-pregnancy care and counselling in chronic renal patients

Pre-pregnancy planning in chronic renal patients has relied mainly on information gleaned from case reports, small series and variable registries. Nevertheless, guidelines have emerged to help clinicians in the care of their patients, so that as with other chronic medical conditions, it is becoming recognised as part of the traditional organisation of care associated with pregnancy. Nevertheless, most chronic renal patients do not plan their pregnancies with their health care team, and this complex behaviour is affected by the quality of the relationship with the team and by the woman’s attitude to her health and beliefs. The basic components of pre-pregnancy counselling should be analysis of risks, provision of health education and advice, and then making specific helpful interventions. Such ‘active preparation for pregnancy’ should be individualised to each woman’s needs and involve her partner. The ethical controversies associated with the need to understand the psychology of women who pursue parenthood, despite substantial risk to their own health and that of their unborn baby, should not be underestimated.     

孕前超重及肥胖对孕期体质量控制及妊娠结局的影响

目的:评估孕前超重及肥胖对孕期体质量控制及妊娠结局的影响。方法:回顾性收集2015年1月-2017年12月于我院分娩足月单胎孕妇的孕前体质量指数(BMI)、孕期体质量变化及妊娠结局等资料,比较孕前超重、肥胖孕妇与孕前体质量正常孕妇的孕期体质量控制情况及妊娠结局,多因素分析孕前超重及肥胖对孕期体质量控制及妊娠结局的影响。结果:纳入超重孕妇496例(超重组),肥胖孕妇44例(肥胖组)以及体质量正常孕妇(对照组)540例,超重、肥胖及对照组的孕前BMI分别为26.3(2.0)kg/m^2、31.3(2.9)kg/m^2及20.7(2.5)kg/m^2。超重、肥胖组的孕期体质量超标比例高于对照组(分别为63.9%、72.7%及41.3%),超重及肥胖组孕妇的子痫前期、妊娠期糖尿病及剖宫产风险均高于体质量正常孕妇。超重及肥胖组的新生儿平均出生体质量高于正常组[分别为(3 528.0±397.4)kg、(3 562.6±417.6)kg及(3 387.8±384.5)kg,巨大儿比例也呈升高趋势(分别为12.3%、15.9%及5.0%)。多因素分析结果显示孕前超重(OR=3.071,95%CI:2.345~4.022)及肥胖(OR=5.113,95%CI:2.507~10.431)是孕期体质量超标的影响因素,同时对子痫前期(P<0.001)、妊娠期糖尿病(P<0.001)、剖宫产(P<0.05)及巨大儿(P<0.05)风险均有显著影响。结论:孕前超重及肥胖不仅显著影响孕期体质量控制结局(尤其是孕期体质量超标风险),同时对包括子痫前期、妊娠期糖尿病、剖宫产、巨大儿风险在内的妊娠结局也影响显著;孕前体质量控制对于超重及肥胖的育龄妇女具有重要意义。     

上海市长宁区新婚对象孕前保健知识和服务需求调查

目的:了解长宁区新婚对象影响孕前知识和行为情况的因素以及他们对孕前保健服务的需求,为针对性地开展孕前保健服务、完善经济发达地区孕前保健实施策略提供依据。方法:随机抽取2010年12月~2011年7月到长宁区民政局进行婚姻登记且自愿接受调查的1 030名新婚男女为研究对象,采用自制问卷进行面对面调查获取孕前保健知识和意向情况。结果:①孕前保健知识得分方面男女差异有统计学意义(P0.05);②调查对象对孕前保健的态度92.7%人赞成做孕前准备,91.0%人支持做双方孕前体检;③对孕前营养知识(82.9%)、遗传与优生知识(80.9%)和生育基本知识(80.6%)的需求占前3位;④82.5%愿意接受发放阅读资料作为宣教途径。结论:新婚夫妇认为孕前保健知识宣教及孕前检查是有必要的;宣教的方式应以发放阅读资料为主,内容主要应集中在营养、遗传与优生和心理准备上。     

Antenatal antioxidants to avert autism?

Paternally derived de novo mutations (DNMs) caused by oxidative stress (OS) have been implicated in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Whether preconception antioxidant supplementation can reduce the incidence of ASDs by reducing OS is an area of uncertainty and potentially important future scientific investigation.     

Contraception and preconception counseling in women with autoimmune disease

Appropriate contraception and preconception counseling are critical for women of reproductive age with systemic autoimmune diseases (AIDs) because clinical diagnosis, rheumatology medications, and disease activity may impact the safety or efficacy of certain contraceptives as well as the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The presence of antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies (anticardiolipin, anti-β2 glycoprotein I, and lupus anticoagulant) is the most important determinant of contraception choice, as women with these antibodies should not receive estrogen-containing contraceptives because of the increased risk of thrombosis. Prepregnancy counseling generally includes the assessment of preexisting disease-related organ damage, current disease activity, aPL antibodies, anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies, and medication safety in pregnancy. Quiescent AID for six months on pregnancy-compatible medications optimizes maternal and fetal/neonatal outcomes for most patients.     

Motivational interviewing to promote interconception health: A scoping review of evidence from clinical trials

BackgroundPromoting interconception health can improve birth outcomes and long-term women’s health. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based behavior change strategy that can address interconception health behaviors and health care engagement.ObjectiveThis scoping review assessed the evidence for using MI to promote interconception health and assessed features of successful MI interventions.MethodsWe searched PubMed, CHINAL, and Cochrane databases for clinical trials that involved an MI intervention and at least one comparison group published by 8/31/2021. Interventions occurred during pregnancy or within three months postpartum and outcomes were measured between birth and one year postpartum. We abstracted data on trial characteristics including outcome, population, interventionist training, MI fidelity monitoring, intervention dose, and comparison condition. We examined whether trials that demonstrated statistically significant improvement in outcomes had common features.ResultsThere were 37 included studies. Interventions addressed breastfeeding, teen contraception, tobacco, alcohol, or substance use, vaccine acceptance, nutrition, physical activity, and depression. No trials addressed more than one topic. Nineteen studies demonstrated improved outcomes. Interventions during the perinatal or postnatal periods were more likely to demonstrate improved interconception outcomes than interventions in the prenatal period. No other trial characteristics were consistently associated with demonstrating improved outcomes.DiscussionMI has been applied to a variety of interconception health behaviors, with some promising results, particularly for interventions in the perinatal or postpartum period. Outcomes were not clearly attributable to any other differences in intervention or study design. Further exploring context or implementation may help maximize the potential of MI in interconception health promotion.Practical valueMI may be implemented across a range of clinical settings, patient groups, and time points around pregnancy. Interventions on health topics relevant to the interconception period should incorporate perinatal or postpartum components.