title: Preconception-related needs of reproductive-aged women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to assess women׳s interest in preconception care, their organisational preferences, and their preconception-related information and support needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional study design.
  
  
  METHODS
  participants were recruited online through social media and discussion forums for issues relating to (in)fertility, pregnancy and parenting, and at the Women׳s Clinic of Ghent University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  242 reproductive-aged women with a desire to have (more) children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the majority of women (75%) wanted to receive preconception care in the future. Gynaecologists (93%) were the preferred source of preconception care, followed by midwives (73%) and general practitioners (63%). Most women wanted information about lifestyle, environmental exposures, working conditions and medical issues. Information needs were higher among women with (history of) mental illness [odds ratio (OR) 3.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-11.36], (history of) eye and otolaryngological problems (OR 2.22, 95% CI 0.95-5.21) and overweight (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.01-4.93). A few women indicated that they needed preconception-related support. Overweight women reported greater need for lifestyle-related support compared with women of healthy weight (p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  reproductive-aged women are interested in preconception care, and would prefer to receive this care directly from a professional caregiver. Most women had high preconception-related information needs and lower support needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  although women reported that they would prefer to receive preconception care from gynaecologists, the results indicate that midwives can also play an important role in the provision of preconception care. They would need further training to improve their knowledge, skills and awareness regarding preconception care.
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, U.Z. 5K3, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Jolgooss.Goossens@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Joline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.affiliation: VIVES University College, Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Delbaere
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, U.Z. 5K3, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; Women׳s Clinic of Ghent University Hospital, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dhaenens
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, U.Z. 5K3, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lies
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, U.Z. 5K3, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; Nursing Science, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Hecke
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, U.Z. 5K3, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verhaeghe
authors.affiliation: University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, U.Z. 5K3, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beeckman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D008880:Midwifery; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010819:Physician's Role; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Information; Needs; Needs assessment; Preconception; Prepregnancy; Support