Improving Preconception Health in a New Era of Health Care is the theme of the Third National Summit on Preconception Health and Health Care, to be held in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla., from     June 13-15, 2011. The objectives of the summit are to:

v  advance opportunities to improve preconception health that are supported by provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

v  promote use of evidence-based preconception care.

v  showcase the ideas, innovation, and expertise that have emerged from the field over the past five years.

This Summit is being planned and hosted by the Florida Department of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative Steering Committee, which includes representatives from the CDC, HRSA, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, CityMatCH, March of Dimes, and National Healthy Start Association.

Preconception care is widely recognized as an important part of primary care for women of reproductive age, providing health promotion, screening, and interventions for women of childbearing age to reduce risk factors for future pregnancies. It includes interventions before a first pregnancy or between pregnancies, commonly known as interconception care. 

Currently, millions of women do not receive evidence-based care due to lack of coverage and/or quality primary care.  In 2007, over 20 percent of all women of childbearing age (ages 18-44) and nearly four in 10 low-income women in that age group did not have health coverage. Among uninsured women, 71 percent are low-income. With passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, gaps in coverage will be addressed but there is more to be done through implementation of the act.  A high-quality health care system must assure access to the right care, in the right setting, at the right time. For women in their childbearing years, health reform changes make it feasible to link preconception, prenatal, family planning, and other medical care as part of a seamless continuum of care for women. (Johnson K. Women’s health and health reform: implications of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2010 Dec; 22:492–497)

Many national, state, and community health leaders are looking for ways to leverage the provisions of the Affordable Care Act to improve the health of women and infants, with a focus on obesity and chronic disease, healthy behaviors, and better birth outcomes. Translating the many provisions of the Affordable Care Act into national, state and local advocacy is an ongoing challenge.    The Third National Summit on Preconception Health and Health Care will provide an opportunity to share and generate ideas about implementation of new programs and policies. For registration see the conference website.