Semin Reprod Med 2022; 40(03/04): 170-183
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1744257
Review Article

Relationships between Women's and Men's Modifiable Preconception Risks and Health Behaviors and Maternal and Offspring Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review

Cherie Caut 
,
Danielle Schoenaker
2   School of Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
3   NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
,
Erica McIntyre 
1   Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
4   Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
,
Dwan Vilcins
5   Children's Health Environmental Program (CHEP), Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia
,
Anna Gavine
6   School of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
,
Amie Steel
1   Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
› Author Affiliations
Funding The lead reviewer was financially supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. This project is funded by a project grant from Endeavor College of Natural Health (grant approval number: PRO19–7927). Funding sources have not had any role in conducting the umbrella review.
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Abstract

Parental health before conception effects maternal and offspring health outcomes. Preconception care provides healthcare to prospective parents addressing modifiable preconception risks and health behaviors. This umbrella review aimed to consolidate evidence on women's and men's modifiable preconception risks or health behaviors associated with maternal and offspring health outcomes. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched from March 4, 2010, to March 4, 2020. Eligible studies were systematic reviews or meta-analyses of observational studies examining associations between modifiable preconception risks or health behaviors and maternal and offspring health outcomes. Screening, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment (AMSTAR 2) occurred independently by two reviewers. Degree of overlap was examined. Findings were summarized for evidence synthesis. Twenty-seven systematic reviews were included. Modifiable preconception risks and health behaviors were identified across categories: body composition (e.g., overweight, obesity), lifestyle behaviors (e.g., caffeine, smoking), nutrition (e.g., micronutrients), environmental exposures (e.g., radiation), and birth spacing (e.g., short interpregnancy intervals). Outcomes associated with exposures affected embryo (e.g., embryonic growth), maternal (e.g., gestational diabetes mellitus), fetal/neonate (e.g., preterm birth), and child (e.g., neurocognitive disorders) health. For real-world practice and policy relevance, evidence-based indicators for preconception care should include body composition, lifestyle, nutrition, environmental, and birth spacing.

Keywords

preconception care - risk factors - health behavior - maternal health - pregnancy complications

Ethical Statement

Ethics approval was not required for this umbrella review.


Authors' Contributions

C.C. designed the protocol and performed the searches, screening, quality appraisal, overlap assessment, data extraction, and data analysis and drafted, reviewed, and edited the manuscript. A.S. was second reviewer for article screening at the title and abstract stage; D.S. was second reviewer for article screening at the full-text stage; A.G. was second reviewer for quality appraisal; D.V. was second reviewer for data extraction; and A.S., D.S., and E.M. reviewed and edited the manuscript.




Publication History

Article published online:
13 July 2022

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