Preconception care policy, guidelines, recommendations and services across six European countries: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom
Shawe, Jill ; Delbaere, Ilse ; Ekstrand, Maria LU
; Hegaard, Hanne Kristine
LU
; Larsson, Margareta
; Mastroiacovo, Pierpaolo
; Stern, Jenny
; Steegers, Eric
; Stephenson, Judith
and Tydén, Tanja
(2015)
In European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care
20(2).
p.77-87
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Objectives: Preconception care is important for the screening, prevention and management of risk factors that affect pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to investigate pre-pregnancy care policies, guidelines, recommendations and services in six European countries. Methods: In 2013, an electronic search and investigation was undertaken of preconception policy, guidelines, recommendations and services available to healthcare professionals and the general public in six European countries: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Findings were compared within five categories: Governmental policy and legislation; Professional bodies and organisations; Healthcare providers; Charitable organisations; Web-based... (More)
- Objectives: Preconception care is important for the screening, prevention and management of risk factors that affect pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to investigate pre-pregnancy care policies, guidelines, recommendations and services in six European countries. Methods: In 2013, an electronic search and investigation was undertaken of preconception policy, guidelines, recommendations and services available to healthcare professionals and the general public in six European countries: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Findings were compared within five categories: Governmental policy and legislation; Professional bodies and organisations; Healthcare providers; Charitable organisations; Web-based public information and internet sites. Results: All countries had preconception recommendations for women with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and epilepsy. Recommendations for healthy women and men were fragmented and inconsistent. Preconception guidance was often included in antenatal and pregnancy guidelines. Differences between countries were seen with regard to nutritional and lifestyle advice particularly in relation to fish, caffeine and alcohol consumption, and vitamin supplementation. Conclusions: Current guidelines are heterogeneous. Collaborative research across Europe is required in order to develop evidence-based guidelines for preconception health and care. There is a need to establish a clear strategy for promoting advice and guidance within the European childbearing population. © 2014 The European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/8872d8b0-eb5d-440e-943a-0cabc2e2bbc4
- author
- Shawe, Jill
; Delbaere, Ilse
; Ekstrand, Maria
LU
; Hegaard, Hanne Kristine
LU
; Larsson, Margareta
; Mastroiacovo, Pierpaolo
; Stern, Jenny
; Steegers, Eric
; Stephenson, Judith
and Tydén, Tanja
- publishing date
- 2015
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Europe, Guidelines, Policy, Pre-pregnancy health and care, Preconception care, Pregnancy, caffeine, folic acid, mineral, vitamin, alcohol consumption, Belgium, Denmark, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, female, fish, health care personnel, human, Internet, Italy, lifestyle, maternal care, Netherlands, nutritional counseling, practice guideline, pregnancy, priority journal, Review, smoking, Sweden, United Kingdom, vitamin supplementation, health care delivery, male, organization and management, procedures, standards, Female, Great Britain, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Male, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Preconception Care
- in
- European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care
- volume
- 20
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 77 - 87
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:84924973211
- ISSN
- 1362-5187
- DOI
- 10.3109/13625187.2014.990088
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- additional info
- Export Date: 05 December 2025; Cited By: 109
- id
- 8872d8b0-eb5d-440e-943a-0cabc2e2bbc4
- alternative location
- https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84924973211&doi=10.3109%2F13625187.2014.990088&partnerID=40&md5=01321e662b691c21d41c131b57c40946
- date added to LUP
- 2025-12-05 10:00:44
- date last changed
- 2025-12-06 04:01:40
@article{8872d8b0-eb5d-440e-943a-0cabc2e2bbc4,
abstract = {{Objectives: Preconception care is important for the screening, prevention and management of risk factors that affect pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to investigate pre-pregnancy care policies, guidelines, recommendations and services in six European countries. Methods: In 2013, an electronic search and investigation was undertaken of preconception policy, guidelines, recommendations and services available to healthcare professionals and the general public in six European countries: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Findings were compared within five categories: Governmental policy and legislation; Professional bodies and organisations; Healthcare providers; Charitable organisations; Web-based public information and internet sites. Results: All countries had preconception recommendations for women with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and epilepsy. Recommendations for healthy women and men were fragmented and inconsistent. Preconception guidance was often included in antenatal and pregnancy guidelines. Differences between countries were seen with regard to nutritional and lifestyle advice particularly in relation to fish, caffeine and alcohol consumption, and vitamin supplementation. Conclusions: Current guidelines are heterogeneous. Collaborative research across Europe is required in order to develop evidence-based guidelines for preconception health and care. There is a need to establish a clear strategy for promoting advice and guidance within the European childbearing population. © 2014 The European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health.}},
author = {{Shawe, Jill and Delbaere, Ilse and Ekstrand, Maria and Hegaard, Hanne Kristine and Larsson, Margareta and Mastroiacovo, Pierpaolo and Stern, Jenny and Steegers, Eric and Stephenson, Judith and Tydén, Tanja}},
issn = {{1362-5187}},
keywords = {{Europe; Guidelines; Policy; Pre-pregnancy health and care; Preconception care; Pregnancy; caffeine; folic acid; mineral; vitamin; alcohol consumption; Belgium; Denmark; diabetes mellitus; epilepsy; female; fish; health care personnel; human; Internet; Italy; lifestyle; maternal care; Netherlands; nutritional counseling; practice guideline; pregnancy; priority journal; Review; smoking; Sweden; United Kingdom; vitamin supplementation; health care delivery; male; organization and management; procedures; standards; Female; Great Britain; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Male; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Preconception Care}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{77--87}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care}},
title = {{Preconception care policy, guidelines, recommendations and services across six European countries: Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/13625187.2014.990088}},
doi = {{10.3109/13625187.2014.990088}},
volume = {{20}},
year = {{2015}},
}