Preconceptional health care model

During the last 10 years, there has been a movement to expand the definition of prenatal care to encompass preconceptional counseling. Major organizations throughout the world have endorsed preconceptional counseling as an integral component of care for all women contemplating pregnancy. This article will assist health care providers who interact with women of reproductive age to understand the potential benefits and limitations of preconceptional counseling and to develop an approach to that service relating to nutrition, infections: and metabolic diseases as they impact on reproductive outcome. Although there are many potential benefits of the preconception healthcare model, barriers to its implementation remain. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.