title: Preconception care and reproductive planning in primary care.
abstract: Preconception care is designed to identify and reduce biomedical, behavioral, and social risks to the health of a woman or her baby before pregnancy occurs. Few women present requesting preconception care; however, 1 in 10 US women of childbearing age will become pregnant each year. As primary care physicians (PCPs) care for reproductive-aged women before, between, and after their pregnancies, they are ideally positioned to help women address health risks before conception, including optimizing chronic conditions, to prevent adverse pregnancy and longer-term health outcomes. PCPs can help women make informed decisions both about preparing for pregnancy and about using effective contraception when pregnancy is not desired.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D), Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 S. Columbian Way S-152, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. Electronic address: lcallega@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Callegari
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D), Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 S. Columbian Way S-152, Seattle, WA 98108, USA.
authors.forename: Erica W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, Davis, 4150 V Street, Suite 3100, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
authors.forename: Eleanor Bimla
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016742:Preconception Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012098:Reproduction; D034121:Reproductive Health Services; D014481:United States
keywords: Preconception care; Primary care; Reproductive life plan; Reproductive planning; Reproductive-aged women