The Fundamentals of Preconception Care: An Online Tutorial

Abstract

Abstract Preconception care is a group of interventions designed to identify and modify women's medical and behavioral risks, specifically issues that benefit maximally from change before conception. The Undergraduate Medical Education Committee within the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics has included preconception care as one of 58 educational topics areas that must be covered within the curriculum for medical students. Among the eight learning objectives included under the Preconception Care topic area, six are Priority 1 (i.e., students must learn and master) and two are Priority 2 (i.e., should be learned). This tutorial has been designed to address these learning objectives and to supplement any Obstetrics and Gynecology clerkship curriculum. The 30- to 60-minute online tutorial serves to ensure the teaching/learning of preconception care in an evidence-based, interactive format. The tutorial provides an overview of preconception care and goes into detail on how to apply this type of care in practice. Topics that are relevant to preconception care covered in this tutorial include immunizations, chronic hypertension, diabetes, genetic abnormalities, advanced maternal age, substance abuse, nutrition and exercise, medications, and environmental hazards. Pre-/posttests are included for learners to both measure their current knowledge of the topic and their acquired knowledge after working through the module.

Keywords

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Pregnancy Complications
• Preconception Care
• Prenatal Care
• High-Risk Pregnancy