Women's motives for not participating in preconception counseling: qualitative study.
OBJECTIVE
Information about risk factors and preventive measures given before conception is estimated to prevent 15-35% of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to identify women's motives for not responding to an invitation for preconception counseling (PCC) from their general practitioner.


METHODS
A purposive sample of 11 women who did not respond to an invitation for PCC and who became pregnant within 1 year was interviewed.


RESULTS
Three key themes influencing nonresponse emerged from the data: perceived knowledge, perceived lack of risk and a misunderstanding of the aim of PCC.


CONCLUSIONS
For successful future implementation of PCC, a more tailored approach may be necessary for certain (groups of) women, addressing the reasons why women do not consider themselves part of the target group for PCC.
Hosli
E J
EJ
Department of Prevention and Health, TNO Quality of Life, Leiden, The Netherlands. esther.hosli@tno.nl
Elsinga
J
J
Buitendijk
S E
SE
Assendelft
W J J
WJ
van der Pal-de Bruin
K M
KM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D037001:Directive Counseling; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D016742:Preconception Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*