Attitude and utilisation of preconception care services among pregnant women in Ghana

Preconception care offers a crucial opportunity for early interventions and the detection of risk factors linked to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Preconception care services remain underdeveloped and lack widespread adoption globally. This study assessed the attitude and utilisation of preconception care services among pregnant women attending antenatal care services at the Baptist Medical Centre. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 325 pregnant women attending antenatal care services at the Baptist Medical Centre. Data were collected using questionnaires and analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. A significant proportion of participants strongly agreed that it was necessary to seek preconception care services before pregnancy. However, preconception care services utilisation remained low among participants, with more than two-thirds of them not seeking preconception consultations at health facilities. Nonetheless, a higher educational level was strongly associated with better utilisation of preconception care services among participants. The study highlights low utilisation of preconception care services among pregnant women, despite their positive attitude toward the services. The East Mamprusi Municipal Health Directorate should implement strategies to enhance women's utilisation of preconception care services to increase service uptake.