Preconception care in therapeutic abortion applicants

BACKGROUND: Some risk factors that would lead to therapeutic abortion do even exist before pregnancy and could be resolved or corrected through appropriate interventions. The present study was conducted to evaluate the condition of preconception care among therapeutic abortion applicants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research was a descriptive, cross-sectional study that was conducted on 200 applicants for therapeutic abortion at the Forensics Medicine Center of Isfahan (Iran) who were selected convenience sampling from October 2014 to March 2015. Data were gathered using a researcher made checklist. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 through descriptive statistics and Chi-square and independent t-test. RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of the participants were applicants for therapeutic abortion due to fetal problems, and the other 15% were due to maternal issues. About 41.7% of participants with fetal problems and all of the participants with maternal issues had not received preconception care. In 93.3% of the applicants with maternal issues, the disease existed before the pregnancy. About 48.2% of participants needed genetic counseling, but 28.6% had not received any. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that in most of the participants, the risk factor for therapeutic abortion existed before the pregnancy. Providing preconception care along with the elimination of risk factors before the pregnancy could prevent some of the pregnancies with the indication of therapeutic abortion.