High-risk health behaviours of pregnancy-planning women and men: Is there a need for preconception care?

Cindy-Lee Dennis; Sarah Brennenstuhl; Hilary K Brown; Rhonda C Bell; Flavia Marini; Catherine S Birken

doi:10.1016/j.midw.2021.103244

High-risk health behaviours of pregnancy-planning women and men: Is there a need for preconception care?

Midwifery. 2022 Mar:106:103244. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103244. Epub 2022 Jan 2.

Authors

Cindy-Lee Dennis¹, Sarah Brennenstuhl², Hilary K Brown³, Rhonda C Bell⁴, Flavia Marini⁵, Catherine S Birken⁶

Affiliations

¹ Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: cindylee.dennis@utoronto.ca.
² Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Department of Health & Society (Scarborough Campus), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
⁵ Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 35063905
DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103244

Abstract

Aim: To examine the prevalence and predictors of high-risk health behaviours in pregnancy-planning women and men.

Design: Cross-sectional online survey.

Setting: Canada.

Participants: Canadian women (n = 529) and men (n = 92) self-identifying as planning a pregnancy within 5 years, recruited through email and social media.

Measurements: Health behaviours examined included smoking, alcohol and cannabis use, internet addiction, low physical activity, overweight and obesity, eating habits, and sleeping less than 6 h/night.

Findings: Prevalent preconception high-risk health behaviours in both women and men were low physical activity (women 44.9%, men 38.8%), overweight and obesity (women 52.5%, men 64.9%), and unhealthy eating habits (women 42.8%, men 55.8%), while men had a significantly higher prevalence of cigarette smoking (women 4.9%, men 12.0%, p=.008) and alcohol use (women 19.6%, men 40.7%, p<.001). The mean number of high-risk health behaviours in women was 2.1 (SD=1.37) compared to 2.5 (SD=1.37) in men (p=.001). Significant predictors of a higher number of high-risk health behaviours included multiparity, low education and depression in women, and higher perceived stress in men.

Key conclusions: There is a high prevalence of high-risk health behaviours in women and men actively trying to conceive or planning to achieve pregnancy soon. Health promotion should be a key component of preconception health interventions for both women and men as part of a life course approach to optimizing population health.

Implementation for practice: Findings demonstrate modifiable targets for preconception programs and factors that can be used to identify at-risk groups requiring intervention. Individual-level interventions require societal changes that promote healthy behaviours through better health policies and strong public health messaging.

Keywords: Fathers; Health behaviours; Preconception; Preconception care; Pregnancy planning.

MeSH terms

Canada / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Health Behavior
Humans
Male
Preconception Care*
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women*