Preconception care for infertile couples: nurses' and midwives' roles in promoting better maternal and birth outcomes

Introduction Preconception care promotes better maternal outcomes, may assist in preventing birth defects and improves fertility awareness among healthy childbearing couples. Yet the significance of preconception care for infertile couples is undeveloped area of practice in Europe. Aim We discuss the importance of nurses and midwives in providing preconception care to infertile couples in the United Kingdom and Spain. Design Discursive paper Method A comparison of different midwifery and nursing approaches to preconception care for infertile couples in two European countries. Findings At present infertile couples’ needs for preconception care are not routinely identified or understood. There is an opportunity for these needs to be considered and identified by nurses at the time of investigation for infertility or when planning pregnancy with assisted conception. Conclusions We argue that by providing preconception care, nurses and midwives have an opportunity to deliver important advice to infertile couples in both primary care and specialist infertility services