Health behaviours in 131,182 UK women planning pregnancy

Summary

This large cross-sectional analysis of 131,182 UK women from the 'Planning for Pregnancy' online tool found substantial gaps in adherence to preconception health recommendations. Only 31.5% took folic acid supplements, 20% were current smokers, 42% fell short of physical activity guidelines, and just over half consumed adequate fruit and vegetables. Women actively planning pregnancy (those who had stopped contraception) were significantly more likely to adopt key health behaviours, with notably higher folic acid use and smoking cessation correlating with active planning status.

Regional applicability

This study is directly applicable to United Kingdom policy and practice as it derives from a UK-wide online survey tool (Tommy's). The findings provide a contemporary evidence base for preconception health messaging and public health interventions in the UK, and identify populations at higher risk of poor preconception health (younger women, those who are underweight).

Key measures

Smoking prevalence (%), folic acid supplement use (%), weekly physical activity (minutes, categorical), fruit and vegetable consumption (portions per week), odds ratios for active versus non-active planners

Outcomes reported

The study measured adherence to preconception health recommendations including smoking status, folic acid supplementation, physical activity, and fruit and vegetable consumption in women planning pregnancy. It compared rates of health behaviour adoption between women actively planning pregnancy (contraception stopped) and those not yet actively planning.

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