title: A new perspective on universal preconception care in China.
abstract: Many risk factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes can be identified and modified preconceptionally. Despite a broad consensus that preconception care should be provided to all couples of reproductive age, it has not been integrated in routine healthcare. There are several barriers to its implementation, and even in the most resourceful countries, it is only provided to some select high-risk groups, rather than being an organized healthcare service provision to all. Recently, China seems to be leading the way by implementing preconception care nationwide in all rural areas. Its National Free Preconception Health Examination Project is a unique model of comprehensive preconception care. Advantages of this ambitious project are now becoming evident and benefiting the most vulnerable sections of Chinese society. This commentary provides an overview of National Free Preconception Health Examination Project and highlights the concepts that could be further developed and adapted into a model of preconception care.
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.
authors: Qiongjie
authors: Q
authors: Zhou
authors: Women's Health and Perinatology Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Northern Norway, Tromsø, Norway.|Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Ganesh
authors: G
authors: Acharya
authors: Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China.
authors: Shikun
authors: S
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China.
authors: Qiaomei
authors: Q
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Maternal and Child Health, National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China.
authors: Haiping
authors: H
authors: Shen
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and the Key Specialty Project of the Ministry of Health, Shanghai, China.
authors: Xiaotian
authors: X
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006292:Health Priorities; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: China; Preconception; preconception care; pregnancy; women's health issues