Pregnancy, risk behaviors and adverse reproductive outcomes: Is preconception care working in Italy?

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q1 NURSING

Midwifery Pub Date : 2025-04-03 DOI:10.1016/j.midw.2025.104404

Renata Bortolus , Francesca Filippini , Sonia Cipriani , Francesca Rech Morassutti , Luca Marchetto , Erika Rigotti , Elena Cesari , Daniele Trevisanuto , Fabio Parazzini

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Preconception care guidelines and recommendations have been developed in many countries but, in Europe, recommendations for healthy couples are fragmented and not yet suitably implemented.

Objectives

Our objective was to investigate, in a sample of Italian women who gave birth healthy babies in Northern Italy, the prevalence of performing preconception visit and the rate of risks and protective behaviours on adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to preconception visit.

Materials and Methods

The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in four maternity clinics in Northern Italy. After birth, women were asked to fill in a self-administered questionnaire on general characteristics, preconception visit, protective and risk factors (folic acid, immunization, BMI, smoking, alcohol, chronic diseases) before and during pregnancy.

Results

1077 women completed the questionnaire and were included in the analysis; 381 (35.4 %) underwent a preconception visit. Folic acid intake was significantly higher in the Preconception Visit Group (OR = 3.94, 95 % CI 2.7–5.7 and OR = 2.27, 95 % CI 1.7–3.1 - at least six months and one month before the last menstruation until the end of the first trimester - respectively). An increased number of women were vaccinated for rubella and chickenpox, had a BMI between 18.50–24.99 and were not smokers before pregnancy in the Preconception Visit Group.

Conclusions

Our survey showed a limited use of the preconception visit among Italian women. It may represent a valid resource to improve the folic acid supplementation and immunization before pregnancy. More evidence is needed regarding the role of preconception visit on the risk factors requiring an integrated and long-term approach.

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来源期刊

Midwifery 医学-护理

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

7.40%

发文量

221

审稿时长

13.4 weeks

期刊介绍： Midwifery publishes the latest peer reviewed international research to inform the safety, quality, outcomes and experiences of pregnancy, birth and maternity care for childbearing women, their babies and families. The journal’s publications support midwives and maternity care providers to explore and develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes informed by best available evidence. Midwifery provides an international, interdisciplinary forum for the publication, dissemination and discussion of advances in evidence, controversies and current research, and promotes continuing education through publication of systematic and other scholarly reviews and updates. Midwifery articles cover the cultural, clinical, psycho-social, sociological, epidemiological, education, managerial, workforce, organizational and technological areas of practice in preconception, maternal and infant care. The journal welcomes the highest quality scholarly research that employs rigorous methodology. Midwifery is a leading international journal in midwifery and maternal health with a current impact factor of 1.861 (© Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Reports 2016) and employs a double-blind peer review process.