Promoting Preconception and Interconception Health using State-based Social-Marketing Initiatives: Preliminary Results from Cycle One of the First-time Motherhood/New Parents Initiative

Background: The First-time Motherhood/New Parents Initiative (FTM/NPI) states integrated concepts and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Preconception Care Work Group and the Select Panel on Preconception Care (SPPC) to create social marketing campaigns. Study Question: Can social-marketing techniques increase consumer and provider awareness of the importance of preconception/interconception health in preventing adverse birth outcomes? Methods: Funding was provided to 13 States to create public awareness campaigns by integrating reproductive health messages into existing health promotion campaigns. Formative research was used to obtain feedback from target audience's knowledge of pre/interconception health. Logic models outlined expected outcomes for initiative. Results: Preliminary results indicate: a poor understanding of the term “preconception health” prior to start of campaigns and positive reception of social media tools (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace) as a discussion forum for topic areas. Major limitations: absence of a cross-site evaluation to compare results from focus groups and techniques used for campaigns and variations in the level funding provided to each state which may have limited the type of campaign one could implement. Conclusions: Preconception and interconception health are still considered new topics within the maternal and child health discussion forum. More work is needed to create a clear understanding of these concepts for consumers, and to gain increase acceptance in focusing on preconception health among providers. Implications: Campaign data provides a strong case for moving toward comprehensive systems of care with a life-course focus.