A Research Day event on the “Why and what of Preconception Care (PCC)”was held at the KHPT Head Office in Bengaluru on April 4, chaired by Dr. Krishnamurthy Jayanna, Dean of MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences. This collaborative event brought together the expertise of both KHPT and Ramaiah University, showcasing a diverse array of research studies dedicated to preconception care (PCC) within the Maternal Neonatal and Child Health thematic. The presentations covered a  comprehensive scoping review, an in-depth qualitative research study, and implementation research study.

The research studies presented focused on both facilitators and barriers to preconception care. Facilitators identified included access to comprehensive information about PCC and nutrition, as well as robust social support from front-line workers (FLWs). The barriers encompassed challenges, including women’s lack of decision-making powers, prioritizing other family members’ decisions regarding conception, and adjustments with the new family post marriage, and cultural and social norms pressuring newly married women to conceive early. Key themes that emerged included the critical role of education and awareness raising, the importance of social networks such as ASHAs, ANM and the need for autonomy in decision-making processes for women.

Across the studies, common suggestions emerged to address these challenges. These included advocating for active involvement of partners in PCC-related activities, awareness-raising on PCC, strengthening governance and health systems, fostering collaboration and convergence between government departments, and leveraging existing MNCH platforms to popularize the concept of PCC.