Dutch community midwives' views on preconception care.
OBJECTIVE
to explore the opinions of midwives on the desirability of preconception care for all couples contemplating pregnancy, their willingness to introduce preconception care to midwifery practice and, if it were to be implemented, the necessary conditions, including knowledge, postgraduate education and referral possibilities for successful implementation in the community.


METHODS
all community midwives (n = 129) working in 49 midwifery practices that refer their high-risk clients to the Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam (the Netherlands).


METHODS
Rotterdam and its immediate surrounding communities.


METHODS
midwives working at the midwifery practices were recruited by telephone. All agreed to participate, and subsequently received a questionnaire by post.


RESULTS
102 (79%) questionnaires were returned. Ninety-five (93%) of the 102 midwives were familiar with the concept of preconception care, and 71 (70%) of them already provided it to some extent. Of the 102 respondents, 84 (83%) seemed to be willing to provide such care in the future, and 56 (55%) felt that preconception care should be part of their professional domain. Midwives, however, lack time and knowledge to do so.


CONCLUSIONS
community midwives already provide counselling, although not on a structural basis, and usually not earlier than in the first trimester of pregnancy. Midwives seem willing to play an active role in the provision of preconception care in the future. There is, however, great need for postgraduate training.
van Heesch
Peter N A C M
PN
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
de Weerd
Sabina
S
Kotey
Sandra
S
Steegers
Eric A P
EA
D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009426:Netherlands; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires