The relationship between pregnant women’s attitudes toward preconception care and pregnancy adaptation: a cross-sectional descriptive study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationships between pregnant women’s knowledge and attitudes regarding preconception care and their adaptation to pregnancy. Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between 26 December 2023 and 31 July 2024, with 388 pregnant women aged 18–45 who attended the gynecology outpatient clinic of a hospital in the Central Aegean Region of Türkiye. Data were collected using the Introductory Information Form, the Preconception Knowledge and Attitude Scale (PKAS), and the Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (PSEQ). Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, and Pearson correlation analysis were used, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Nearly half of the participants (48.5%) received preconception care/counseling, mainly on folic acid and vaccination. Significant negative correlations were found between the two scales and their subscales (p < 0.05). Since lower scores on the PSEQ scale indicate a higher level of adjustment to pregnancy, these findings indicate that higher preconception knowledge and attitudes are associated with better adaptation to pregnancy. Conclusion: The findings indicate that higher levels of preconception knowledge and attitudes enhance adaptation to pregnancy and underscore the importance of preconception care for a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.