Preconception/Pre pregnancy Health

A healthy pregnancy outcome depends not only on a woman’s health during pregnancy, but also on her health during the entire life course, including periods before (preconception) and between pregnancies (interconception). Preconception health is about promoting healthy living and giving babies the best start in life by improving birth outcomes. It includes a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy environment before becoming pregnant.

Below are some  highlights of the pre pregnancy health and behaviors of  mothers who gave birth in Los Angeles County:

• One in ten (10%) of mothers reported smoking cigarettes during the six months before they became pregnant

• Nearly half (48%) of mothers who had a live birth reported that their pregnancies were unintended

• Almost one third (28%) of mothers who had a live birth were using birth control at the time of conception

• Over a half of mothers (51%) did not take multivitamins before pregnancy

• 45% of women reporting that they were overweight or obese just prior to becoming pregnant in 2010

Pre Pregnancy overweight and overweight by Service Planning Area (SPA) in women who recently had a live birth in LA County, 2010

For more information on preconception health in Los Angeles County, please, follow these links:

• Tracking Preconception Health Indicator Project

• Los Angeles County Preconception Health Collaborative

• Reports

• Briefs

• LA Data Now! query system

• External data sources