Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114410

Colette Chichester, Maternal and Family Health Administration, District of Columbia Department of Health, 825 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, 202.442.5925, colette.chichester@dc.gov

Objective: To discuss and the challenges and strategies used to improve the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of women and their primary care providers with respect to providing preconceptional and interconceptional preventive care in the District of Columbia.

Medical research substantiates that appropriate preconception health care significantly improves pregnancy outcomes. Most women have their first prenatal care visit at 9 weeks of pregnancy or later. Studies have showed however, that the most vulnerable fetal development period occurs during the 8 weeks of pregnancy prior to this first visit, when most women are unaware that they are pregnant.

Conclusion: Personal health prior to conception is critical to ensure both healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. The need to educate the community about the influence that lifestyle choices and health status may have on conception, pregnancy and birth outcomes is of primary concern. Healthy lifestyle choice and behavior change must be introduced before pregnancy to assist achieving healthy babies.

Learning Objective: Participants will learn how to employ a preconceptional health campaign to 1) significantly decrease the number of sub-optimal pregnancy outcomes; 2) increase patient and community awareness regarding preconception health; and 3) establish a network system among preconception health care providers and other health specialist providers (behavioral health, internal medicine, oral health etc.) to ensure seamless holistic care

Learning Objectives:

Participants will learn how to employ a preconceptional health campaign to
• significantly decrease the number of sub-optimal pregnancy outcomes;
• increase patient and community awareness regarding preconception health; and
• establish a network system among preconception health care providers and other health specialist providers (behavioral health, internal medicine, oral health etc.) to ensure seamless holistic care

Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, Women's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.