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Abstract
Background Interconception, the time between pregnancies, is an opportunity to improve the health outcomes of women, infants and subsequent pregnancies. Interconception care involves the assessment of previous pregnancy outcomes, management of maternal risk factors, advice regarding optimal pregnancy spacing, and postpartum contraception provision. However, there is no consistent provision of interconception care, and limited understanding of consumer perspectives. This study aims to describe Australian women’s perceptions and experiences of interconception care.
Methods A qualitative descriptive semi-structured interview study was undertaken in July 2022 with women of reproductive age who had given birth to at least one child with intention to have another child. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted and the standards for reporting qualitative research informed the writing of this study.
Results From 15 participants, analysis identified two major themes: (1) women’s lack of engagement with interconception care services; and (2) difficulties accessing interconception care. All participants were unfamiliar with interconception terminology, but most perceived it as a distinct care need, largely accessed in primary healthcare settings. Participants wanted further support to be initiated by healthcare professionals about issues such as breastfeeding, postpartum care and lifestyle risk reduction. Interconception care availability and content was perceived as inconsistent, ineffective and provided opportunistically. Participants outlined the need for improved consumer and healthcare professional interconception care awareness, education, and woman-centred continuity of care.
Conclusions Interconception care awareness is needed by women and healthcare professionals to better meet the needs of women during this life stage.
- qualitative research
- Reproductive Health Services
- Reproductive Health
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. Data collected as part of this study are available upon reasonable request.
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Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. Data collected as part of this study are available upon reasonable request.
Footnotes
X @Sarmitha_K, @Isini_Disara, @Danielle_Mazza, @Sharon_MJames
Contributors SK: conceptualisation, methodology, investigation, formal analysis, data curation, writing – original draft, visualisation. IM: validation, writing – review and editing. DM: conceptualisation, writing – review and editing, supervision. SJ: conceptualisation, methodology, resources, writing – review and editing, visualisation, project administration, supervision. SK is the guarantor.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research. Refer to the Methods section for further details.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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