Balancing our gaze on preconception health and care to include men
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Publication Type:
- Journal Article
- Citation:
- Advances in Integrative Medicine, 2021, 8, (2), pp. 79-80
- Issue Date:
- 2021-05-01
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| 1-s2.0-S0024320521011358-main.pdf | Published version | 581.95 kB |
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Preconception health and health behaviours can have profound effects on foetal development and influence a child’s health after birth and throughout their lifetime [1], and is described as the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHAD) [2]. Preconception care (PCC) – a preventative measure aiming to optimise the health-related outcomes of women, their partners and their children [1] – can initiate at any point in time before pregnancy and incorporates a range of medical, behavioural and social strategies essential to healthy pregnancy and childhood outcomes. Despite global consensus on the importance of PCC [3], [4], the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners [RACGP] affirming PCC as a key preventative strategy for implementation by primary care [1], and preconception health being listed among the priority areas in both the national women’s [5] and men’s [6] health strategies, Australia is yet to adopt national guidelines specific to PCC. While prudent PCC practices must be considered both female and male endeavours, society remains largely unaware of the importance and implications of PCC and, as such, all too often underutilise such strategies [7]. This oversight is particularly profound as it relates to male reproductive partners. Despite the definition of PCC including both reproductive partners, pragmatically, the shift toward recognising and examining the male’s direct role in foetal and child health is belated at best [8].
A scoping review of preconception health behaviours has identified numerous studies examining the clinical importance of preconception health and care [3], however, evidence does not always translate into practice [9], [10] and does not guarantee public awareness and behaviours [11], [12], [13]. This is further amplified by the considerable gender disparity in the current research due to the limited number of studies that examine outcomes associated with men’s preconception health behaviours (relative to studies of female parents) [3] and, more broadly, consideration of men’s responsibilities starting in the preconception period [14]. This is an alarming trend considering – irrespective of any diversity in gender and family relationships – both parents contribute an equal amount of genetic material to their child. With this in mind, we highlight here, some key areas requiring urgent clinician, researcher, and policy maker attention.
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