Preconception Health and Care: A Life Course Approach

This book provides a practical, multidisciplinary approach to support a broad range of health professionals, social workers, public health workers and others tasked with providing health and care to young adults.

Forward.- Introduction.- Chapter 1. Definitions, background, history, challenges and opportunities (global perspectives).- Chapter 2. Epigenetics, Embryology, Preconception science, Periconception, Sperm health.- Chapter 3. Lifestyle: behavioural health, alcohol, tobacco, substance use.- Chapter 4. Lifestyle: weight (obesity, overweight, underweight).- Chapter 5. Chronic conditions: risk assessment, diabetes, cardiac, RA, Thyroid, Cystic Fibrosis, Haematological, IBD, pharmacotherapy.- Chapter 6. Infections: vaccinations, toxoplasmosis, listeriosis, CMV, STI's , HIV/AIDS, Zika.- Chapter 7. Nutrition: folic acid, nutrients.- Chapter 8. Occupational Environment: occupational hazards. Environmental Pollutants: exposures to toxins, pollution, water.- Chapter 9. Social Environment: interpersonal violence, trafficking.- Chapter 10. Fertility awareness, maternal/paternal age, menstrual issues, reproductive life plan, birth spacing.- Chapter 11. Genetic health, genetic counselling, consanguinity.- Chapter 12. Strategies for improving preconception health - examples from around the globe (China, Ethiopia, Europe, Canada, US, Bangladesh).- Chapter 13. The Way Forward.