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  • Holistic preconception care...
    Ku, Chee Wai; Tan, Yu Bin; Tan, Sze Ing; Ku, Chee Onn; Godfrey, Keith M; Tan, Kok Hian; Chan, Shiao-Yng; Yang, Liying; Yap, Fabian; Loy, See Ling; Chan, Jerry Kok Yen

    Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, 5/2024, Volume: 53, Issue: 5
    Journal Article

    Introduction: Preconception is a critical period to optimise gamete function and early placental development, essential for successful conception and long-term maternal-child health. However, there is a lack of preconception services and consequently, global fertility rates continue to fall and mothers embark on their pregnancy journey in poor health. There is an urgent need to implement a holistic community-level preconception care programme to optimise risk factors for poor fecundability and improve long-term maternal-child health. Method: We reviewed current evidence on fecundability lifestyle risk factors, the efficacy of existing preconception interventions and the use of digital platforms for health optimisation, to create a new digital-based preconception intervention model that will be implemented via an app. We present the theory, content and mode of delivery of this holistic model targeting couples planning for pregnancy. Results: We propose a new model featuring a user-friendly mobile app, which enables couples to self-assess fecundability risks through a personalised risk score that drives a tailored management plan. This tiered management provides anticipatory guidance supported by evidence-based recommendations, and promotes ongoing engagement for behavioural optimisation and specialist referrals as required. Based on the health belief model, this new model delivered with a mobile app seeks to shift couples’ perceptions about their susceptibility and severity of subfertility, benefits of making a change and barriers to change. Conclusion: Our proposed digital-based intervention model via a mobile app stands to enhance preconception care by providing personalised risk assessments, real-time feedback and tiered management to optimise preconception reproductive health of couples. This model forms a reference content framework for future preconception care intervention delivery.