Preconception Care for Couples Planning Pregnancy

Preconception care is to optimize health, address modifiable risk factors, and eliminate or reduce health-threatening factors for the woman, fetus, and newborn by working with couples to achieve a healthy pregnancy. Preconception care is the best way to protect against risks in pregnancy and plan risk management. Preconception care offers women and their partners the opportunity to gain healthy lifestyle behaviors, make conscious choices, and gain awareness of factors that threaten health before, during and after pregnancy. However, the rate of receiving preconception care is only 12.3% in our country. The aim of this project is to examine the effect of online preconception counseling on information and care practices for couples planning pregnancy for healthy starts. Materials and Methods: The randomized controlled experimental study will be conducted between February 1, 2024 and February 1, 2026 in the provinces of Istanbul, Izmir, Kastamonu, Ankara and Van. The population of the research will consist of all couples who applied to the marriage offices in the above provinces between February 1, 2024 and February 1, 2026. In the sample calculation, it was calculated that at least 80 couples (experimental group: 40 couples, control group: 40 couples) should be included in the study. Couples that meet the sampling criteria will be assigned to the experimental or control group according to the random numbers table. Online preconception care counseling will be provided to couples in the experimental group 1 month after their wedding date. Preconception care counseling, consisting of 17 titles, was prepared in line with the relevant literature and standardized by the researchers. After the counseling, the couples will be introduced to the preconception care website, which they can use if they need it, and will be given login information. Data will be obtained before and in the 3rd month after counseling with the Introductory Information Form (TBF), Preconceptional Period Risk Assessment Form, Preconceptional Care Health Literacy Scale and Preconceptional Period Health Behavior Scale. The data will be transferred to the SPSS 22 program and evaluated by the researchers. Chi-square test, t-test, Mann Whitney-U Test, Wilcoxon test and paired simple t test will be used to analyze the data.