A Comparison of Maternal Interconception Care Practices in Pediatric and Family Medicine Offices

Abstract

Maternal interconception care is essential to improve birth outcomes by targeting maternal risk factors. The Healthy Mom, Healthy Family (HMHF) program expanded the Interventions to Minimize Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants through Continuous Improvement Techniques (IMPLICIT) Network’s scope by incorporating interconception care into pediatric and family medicine well-child visits (WCVs). We compared screening and referral/counseling rates for maternal behaviors between pediatricians and family physicians. Physicians used a standardized data tool to collect information on maternal behaviors related to multivitamin use, depression/anxiety, tobacco use, and birth spacing and incorporated the tool into WCVs. In total, 6718 data tools were examined. Pediatricians had significantly higher screening rates for multivitamin use and healthy birth spacing and higher referral rates for multivitamin use and tobacco cessation services and counseling. Family physicians had significantly higher rates of tobacco use screening and birth spacing counseling. This study demonstrates that pediatricians can successfully incorporate interconception health screening and counseling into their offices’ WCVs, which can improve access to maternal care.