Preconception Counseling: Delivering the Promise of Healthy Mothers and Babies

Each year, 3% of U.S. births — more than 120,000 infants — are affected by birth defects (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2008; 57:1). To limit the number of families affected by such congenital anomalies, the CDC has published recommendations for improving the health of women before and during early pregnancy (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2006; 55:1), and the Institute of Medicine has recently identified preconception care as a core component of preventive healthcare for women (IOM. 2011. Clinical Preventive Services for Women: Closing the Gaps. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press). Nonetheless, receipt of prepregnancy health counseling is reported by less than one third of U.S. women who give birth (MMWR Surveill Summ 2007; 56:1), and sub…