Preconception knowledge, beliefs and behaviours among people of reproductive age: A systematic review of qualitative studies
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: The health of parents before pregnancy influences the short- and long-term health of their offspring. This systematic review explored the preconception knowledge, beliefs and behaviours held by women and men of childbearing age. METHODS: Databases were searched from 2009 to 2022 (MEDLINE, CINAHL Full-text, PsycINFO, EMBASE). Inclusion criteria specified qualitative research papers which recruited individuals of reproductive age (16-45 years) without existing chronic illnesses. Data were quality assessed and analysed using thematic synthesis. RESULTS: Twelve papers met inclusion criteria. Six themes were identified (cultural context, pregnancy planning, knowledge, gender roles and responsibility, information seeking, prior health behaviours) which relate to individual, social, psychological and cultural factors. Cultural context was related to all other themes. Pregnancy planners had greater motivation to optimise their health whereas those not actively planning were focused more on becoming financially stable. Women and men's knowledge of how and why to engage in health protective behaviours was limited, with health risks and behaviour change discussed in the context of pregnancy rather than preconception. Gender roles influenced individual responsibility for preparation for pregnancy, which in turn influenced information seeking behaviours and engagement in health behaviours. Online sources of support and information were seen as desirable, regardless of pregnancy planning stage. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that behaviour change interventions designed to support people to optimise health before conception should address cultural, individual, social and psychological factors to facilitate behaviour change. Development of online resources may help to increase accessibility for people across different cultural contexts and stages of pregnancy planning.
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This pattern is consistent with qualitative research demonstrating that preconception knowledge often clusters around a narrow set of salient behaviours, rather than a broader, multifactorial understanding of risk.
“This pattern is consistent with qualitative research demonstrating that preconception knowledge often clusters around a narrow set of salient behaviours, rather than a broader, multifactorial understanding of risk [41, 42].”
From Preconception Perceptions, Knowledge and Behaviours of Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Study (2026) · cites this paper as [42]
Similar patterns have been reported in qualitative syntheses of preconception health behaviours.
“Similar patterns have been reported in qualitative syntheses of preconception health behaviours [42].”
From Preconception Perceptions, Knowledge and Behaviours of Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Study (2026) · cites this paper as [42]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Welshman, H., Dombrowski, S., Grant, A., Swanson, V., Goudreau, A., & Currie, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Stirling (GB)
- University of New Brunswick (CA)
- Robert Gordon University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Currie, Sinéad
- Venue
- Preventive Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2023-10
- Volume
- 175
- Pages
- 107707
- ISSN
- 0091-7435 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4386827612
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 1.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Preventive Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Stirling Online Research Repository (University of Stirling) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Stirling Online Research Repository (University of Stirling) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Open Access Institutional Repository at Robert Gordon University (Robert Gordon University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Health and Contraception
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Keywords
- preconception health, pregnancy planning, cultural context, gender roles, information seeking, health behavior change, online health information, behaviour change interventions
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Middle Aged, Pregnancy, Health Behavior, Preconception Care, Qualitative Research, Young Adult, Information Seeking Behavior
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