Kodavaluru Sarmitha, Appuhamy Mudiyanselage Isini, Mazza Danielle, James Sharon
SPHERE CRE, Department of General Practice, Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
SPHERE CRE, Department of General Practice, Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
BMJ Sex Reprod Health. 2024 Dec 30. doi: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2024-202408.
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.
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.
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.
Interconception care awareness is needed by women and healthcare professionals to better meet the needs of women during this life stage.
两次妊娠之间的间隔期，即受孕间隔期，是改善妇女、婴儿健康结局及后续妊娠情况的契机。受孕间隔期护理包括评估既往妊娠结局、管理孕产妇风险因素、提供关于最佳妊娠间隔的建议以及产后避孕措施。然而，受孕间隔期护理的提供并不一致，且对消费者观点的了解有限。本研究旨在描述澳大利亚女性对受孕间隔期护理的看法和经历。
2022年7月，对至少生育过一个孩子且打算再要一个孩子的育龄女性进行了一项定性描述性半结构式访谈研究。进行了反思性主题分析，并依据定性研究报告标准撰写本研究。
对15名参与者的分析确定了两个主要主题：（1）女性对受孕间隔期护理服务参与度不足；（2）获得受孕间隔期护理存在困难。所有参与者均不熟悉受孕间隔期术语，但大多数人认为这是一种独特的护理需求，主要在初级医疗保健机构获得。参与者希望医疗保健专业人员能就母乳喂养、产后护理和降低生活方式风险等问题提供更多支持。受孕间隔期护理的可及性和内容被认为不一致、无效且是机会性提供的。参与者概述了提高消费者和医疗保健专业人员对受孕间隔期护理的认识、教育以及以女性为中心的连续性护理的必要性。
女性和医疗保健专业人员都需要了解受孕间隔期护理，以便在这一生命阶段更好地满足女性的需求。
