Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2019 Apr 5:14:100869.
doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100869. eCollection 2019 Jun.

A systematic mapping review of the associations between pregnancy intentions and health-related lifestyle behaviours or psychological wellbeing

Affiliations
Review

A systematic mapping review of the associations between pregnancy intentions and health-related lifestyle behaviours or psychological wellbeing

Briony Hill et al. Prev Med Rep. .

Abstract

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic mapping review of the literature that explored associations of pregnancy intentions with health-related lifestyle behaviours and psychological wellbeing before and during pregnancy. Six databases were searched (May 2017) for papers relating to pregnancy intentions, health-related lifestyle behaviours, and psychological wellbeing. The literature was mapped according to the preconception or pregnancy period; prospective or retrospective variable assessment; and reported lifestyle behaviours and psychological wellbeing outcomes. Of 19,430 retrieved records, 303 studies were eligible. Pregnancy intentions were considered during the preconception period in 103 studies (only 23 assessed prospectively), and during the pregnancy period in 208 studies (141 prospectively). Associations between pregnancy intention and preconception behaviours/psychological wellbeing were primarily reported for supplement use (n = 58) and were lacking for diet/exercise, and psychological factors. For behaviours/psychological wellbeing during pregnancy, associations with pregnancy intention were focused on prenatal care (n = 79), depression (n = 61), and smoking (n = 56) and were lacking for diet/exercise. Only 7 studies assessed pregnancy intentions with a validated tool. Despite a large body of literature, there were several methodological limitations identified, namely assessment of pregnancy intentions with non-validated measures and the reliance on retrospective assessment. Future primary studies are needed to fill gaps in our understanding regarding energy-balance-related behaviours. Future studies (including reviews/meta-analyses) should take care to address the noted limitations to provide a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the relationships between pregnancy intentions and health-related lifestyle behaviours and psychological wellbeing before and during pregnancy.

Keywords: Behaviour; Lifestyle; Preconception; Pregnancy; Pregnancy intention; Pregnancy planning; Psychological wellbeing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow of studies in the review.

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Abajobir A.A., Maravilla J.C., Alati R., Najman J.M. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between unintended pregnancy and perinatal depression. J. Affect. Disord. 2016;192:56–63. - PubMed
    1. Adams M.M., Bruce F.C., Shulman H.B., Kendrick J.S., Brogan D.J. Pregnancy planning and pre-conception counseling. The PRAMS Working Group. Obstet. Gynecol. 1993;82(6):955–959. - PubMed
    1. Alderliesten M.E., Vrijkotte T.G., van der Wal M.F., Bonsel G.J. Late start of antenatal care among ethnic minorities in a large cohort of pregnant women. BJOG. 2007;114(10):1232–1239. - PubMed
    1. Ali A. Relationship between unwanted pregnancy and health-related quality of life in pregnant women. J. Coll. Physicians Surg. Pak..2016;26(6):507–12. ID:2352. - PubMed
    1. Altfeld S., Handler A., Burton D., Berman L. Wantedness of pregnancy and prenatal health behaviors. Womens Health. 1997;26(4):29–43. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources