Scotland could be a world leader in preconception health

With the monitoring of childhood from conception to eighteen years, it was only a matter of time before there would be an interest in preconception:

"A report calling for would-be parents to consider delaying a pregnancy if they are stressed, dependent on drink or drugs, obese or affected by domestic violence, has been hailed by a leading US health expert."

"Dr Sarah Verbiest, executive director of the Centre for Maternal and Infant Health at the University of North Carolina, said the study could make Scotland a world leader in preconception health."

"Dr Verbiest, who is also a senior advisor to the US Centre for Disease Control, said: `If taken seriously and translated into action, this report has the potential to improve the health of generations of Scottish children, young adults and families, while setting a high bar of achievement internationally."

" `I predict it will put Scotland on the map in terms of preconception health, education and care`."

"The report by Dr Jonathan Sher, an author and former policy director of Children in Scotland, reviewed international research on improving child health and concluded that in many pregnancies, harm has already been done to the child before advice is sought from medical professions - and in many cases before conception has even occurred."

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14519832.Asking_unhealthy_would_be_parents_to_delay_pregnancy__would_make_Scotland_world_leader_/