Optimizing preconception care and interventions for improved population health.

There is growing literature indicating that optimal preconception health is associated with improved reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric outcomes. Given that preconception care is recommended for all individuals planning a pregnancy, medical providers and public health practitioners have a unique opportunity to optimize care and improve health outcomes for reproductive-aged individuals. Knowledge of the determinants of preconception health is important for all types of health professionals, including policy makers. Although some evidence-based recommendations have already been implemented, additional research is needed to identify factors associated with favorable health outcomes and to ensure that effective interventions are made in a timely fashion. Given the largely clinical readership of this journal, this piece is primarily focused on clinical care. However, we acknowledge that optimizing preconception health for the entire population at risk of pregnancy requires broadening our strategies to include population-health interventions that consider the larger social systems, structures, and policies that shape individual health outcomes.