A Comparison of Maternal Interconception Care Practices in Pediatric and Family Medicine Offices.

This article focuses on the implementation and comparison of maternal interconception care practices within pediatric and family medicine settings through the Healthy Mom, Healthy Family (HMHF) program, which expands the Interventions to Minimize Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants through Continuous Improvement Techniques (IMPLICIT) Network model. The study analyzed screening and referral rates for maternal behaviors—multivitamin use, depression/anxiety, tobacco use, and birth spacing—during well-child visits (WCVs) across 28 Ohio outpatient sites. Results showed pediatricians had higher screening and referral rates for multivitamin use and family planning, while family physicians screened more for tobacco use and provided more family planning counseling. The findings indicate that pediatricians can effectively incorporate interconception care into WCVs, potentially improving maternal health access, though further research is needed on long-term outcomes and enhancing mental health and family planning interventions.