Preconception care: it's never too early

Abstract

The preconception window has been recognized as one of the earliest sensitive windows of human development, and interventions that focus on this period have the potential to affect not only pregnancy but long term outcomes as well. The journal Reproductive Health has published a supplement entitled 'Preconception Interventions' which includes a series of systematic reviews regarding the impact of public health interventions during the preconception period on maternal and child health. These articles describe the role that poor preconception health plays in creating health disparities across the globe. The reviews highlight our current understanding (or lack thereof) regarding how both maternal and paternal preconception health and knowledge shapes the long-term health of not only children, but of families, communities, and nations. Researchers and healthcare workers should take particular note of these interventions, as the preconception time period may be as important as the pregnancy and post-pregnancy periods, and is critical in terms of bridging the gap in the continuum of care, particularly for adolescents.