International Trends in Preconception Care Support Policies: A Focus on China and Japan

Abstract

To ensure healthy pregnancies and childbirths, it is important that interventions are made early on, building on an understanding of risk factors that may start having effects on pregnancy even before conception. As the importance of preconceptual health has been increasingly emphasized at the international level, many countries have developed guidelines and policies for preconception care. China and Japan are examples of countries where preconception care services are provided at both national and local levels in a comprehensive range, encompassing education, health checkups, and consultations. This article examines these preconception care services and discusses their implications for policymaking in Korea.