Preconception health – improve outcomes for families and babies

Share Preconception health – improve outcomes for families and babies on Facebook Share Preconception health – improve outcomes for families and babies on Twitter Share Preconception health – improve outcomes for families and babies on Linkedin Email Preconception health – improve outcomes for families and babies link

As part of our work to improve maternal and neonatal health in our community south east London (SEL) Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) is looking to pre-conception care. Through collaboration with healthcare providers, public health professionals, and local voices, we are committed to ensuring every family has access to quality preconception care, helping parents and babies start their journey on the best possible footing.

Background

SEL LMNS is a partnership of people working to improve maternity and neonatal services.

With this project, we aim to address health inequalities and improve outcomes by focusing pre-conception health. The aim is to support people to be physically, emotionally and mentally prepared for pregnancy. This project spans the entire SEL and it includes collaboration with public health professionals, community organisations and local communities.

We recognise that pre-conception health is an important contributor to maternal and neonatal health but also we know it is an area that is under developed and more could be done to educate and support people to plan for a healthier pregnancy, birth and beyond.

At the beginning of this journey to help us move forward we have set some priorities. These are:

  • Learn more about the needs of SEL communities through work with the Women's and Girls health hub programme
  • Learn more about the needs of healthcare providers when considering pre-conception health care
  • Raise awareness of pre-conception through the delivery of an information campaign

These steps helped us close the gaps and better support women in south east London.

Through workshops and engagement sessions with key stakeholders including local people the project began to take shape.

  • We held two virtual co-production workshops
  • We organised a face-to-face session with 15 participants to explore local challenges and opportunities.

This approach helped us to collect insight and develop an understanding of the existing gaps and the opportunities for improvement.

Each workshop has led to tangible outcomes such as:

- highlighting specific priorities for action and recommendations for addressing them

- redefined our approach and begun developing targeted interventions that respond to the needs of our community

- built partnerships with voluntary sector organisation and community groups to co-design support for those at higher risk of health inequalities

Listening to people with lived experience

We engaged with 78 service users and 52 Southwark College students through 12 in-person sessions at children’s centres, family hubs, and community groups. These conversations revealed that many people-especially young adults and men-are unfamiliar with the term “preconception” and unaware of the steps they can take to prepare for a healthy pregnancy

  • Ellen Brown Children and Family Centre, Babies and Us Group
  • Bellingham Family Hub, Explorers Baby group
  • West St CC, Bouncing Babies
  • Motivational Mums Club
  • Community Vision Children and Family Centre
  • Waterways Children's Centre
  • Southwark College
  • Blenheim Children and Family Centre
  • Cotmandene Children’s Centre
  • Young Mums Club
  • Future Dads - Future Men

Key insights - What we learned?

  • 71% of Southwark College students had never heard of preconception care.
  • 45% of participants were planning another pregnancy but still lacked knowledge about preconception health.
  • 52% had searched online for information, but 47% had not- highlighting the need for offline resources.
  • 39% of participants had not taken any vitamins before pregnancy.
  • 44% did not speak to anyone before deciding to have a baby
  • Participants shared that they often rely on family, social media, or online forums like Netmums for information. Many had not spoken to a healthcare professional before becoming pregnant, and most lifestyle changes (e.g. taking folic acid or adjusting diet) were made only after pregnancy began

“It is easier to get information in person, but everything is online.”- Project participant

  • The project also uncovered emotional and cultural complexities. For some, pregnancy planning involved confronting past trauma, such as baby loss or infertility. Others described the influence of elders, religious beliefs, and cultural expectations on their decisions
  • The project highlighted the need for culturally sensitive, accessible, and inclusive resources both online but also face to face information. Participants expressed a strong preference for information in everyday settings-like gyms, supermarkets, public transport, and community centres and in formats that reflect their language and cultural needs
  • Men felt excluded from the conversation. Sessions with the Future Dads group at Lewisham Hospital revealed a strong appetite for information on fertility, healthy sperm, mental health, and parental rights. Many suggested replacing the term “preconception” with “fertility” to make the concept more relatable

“It is important to respect elders and the advice they give you. Information needs to be shared with men in the places they regularly go – like gyms and work.”- Project participant

  • Participants also expressed a desire for more realistic information about the financial realities of parenthood, mental health, and the impact on relationships. Many felt antenatal classes were inaccessible due to language barriers or inconvenient scheduling

How the insights informed our work?

The insights gathered have directly shaped the SEL LMNS preconception campaign, delivered in partnership with Tommy’s. The campaign has already reached over 871,000 people across Southeast London, with nearly 2,000 completions of Tommy’s personalised planning tool. It includes:

  • Translated posters and flyers distributed across children’s centres and community venues including hairdressers and barber shops
  • Targeted digital ads and social media outreach.
  • A second phase featuring healthcare-led videos on folic acid, vitamin D, mental health, and healthy lifestyles

In addition, SEL LMNS has hosted a series of webinars to raise awareness and build capacity among community ambassadors, and voluntary sector partners. These sessions have included:

  • A virtual webinar on 23 May 2025 featuring presentations from SEL LMNS, Local Government East, and Tommy’s.
  • Training for community ambassadors in boroughs like Southwark, Lambeth and Greenwich
  • Presentations at Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership meetings, including a session on 27 February 2025 with service users and maternity staff.
  • Ongoing collaboration with the Women and Girls’ Health Hub to embed preconception messaging into broader public health strategies.

How can you get involved?

If you or your organisation would like to help raise awareness of preconception health, translated posters and flyers are available in multiple languages. These can be displayed in community spaces, clinics, schools, gyms, or anywhere people gather.

To request materials, please email: LocalMaternityandNeonatalSystem@selondonics.nhs.uk

As part of our work to improve maternal and neonatal health in our community south east London (SEL) Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) is looking to pre-conception care. Through collaboration with healthcare providers, public health professionals, and local voices, we are committed to ensuring every family has access to quality preconception care, helping parents and babies start their journey on the best possible footing.

Background

SEL LMNS is a partnership of people working to improve maternity and neonatal services.

With this project, we aim to address health inequalities and improve outcomes by focusing pre-conception health. The aim is to support people to be physically, emotionally and mentally prepared for pregnancy. This project spans the entire SEL and it includes collaboration with public health professionals, community organisations and local communities.

We recognise that pre-conception health is an important contributor to maternal and neonatal health but also we know it is an area that is under developed and more could be done to educate and support people to plan for a healthier pregnancy, birth and beyond.

At the beginning of this journey to help us move forward we have set some priorities. These are:

  • Learn more about the needs of SEL communities through work with the Women's and Girls health hub programme
  • Learn more about the needs of healthcare providers when considering pre-conception health care
  • Raise awareness of pre-conception through the delivery of an information campaign

These steps helped us close the gaps and better support women in south east London.

Through workshops and engagement sessions with key stakeholders including local people the project began to take shape.

  • We held two virtual co-production workshops
  • We organised a face-to-face session with 15 participants to explore local challenges and opportunities.

This approach helped us to collect insight and develop an understanding of the existing gaps and the opportunities for improvement.

Each workshop has led to tangible outcomes such as:

- highlighting specific priorities for action and recommendations for addressing them

- redefined our approach and begun developing targeted interventions that respond to the needs of our community

- built partnerships with voluntary sector organisation and community groups to co-design support for those at higher risk of health inequalities

Listening to people with lived experience

We engaged with 78 service users and 52 Southwark College students through 12 in-person sessions at children’s centres, family hubs, and community groups. These conversations revealed that many people-especially young adults and men-are unfamiliar with the term “preconception” and unaware of the steps they can take to prepare for a healthy pregnancy

  • Ellen Brown Children and Family Centre, Babies and Us Group
  • Bellingham Family Hub, Explorers Baby group
  • West St CC, Bouncing Babies
  • Motivational Mums Club
  • Community Vision Children and Family Centre
  • Waterways Children's Centre
  • Southwark College
  • Blenheim Children and Family Centre
  • Cotmandene Children’s Centre
  • Young Mums Club
  • Future Dads - Future Men

Key insights - What we learned?

  • 71% of Southwark College students had never heard of preconception care.
  • 45% of participants were planning another pregnancy but still lacked knowledge about preconception health.
  • 52% had searched online for information, but 47% had not- highlighting the need for offline resources.
  • 39% of participants had not taken any vitamins before pregnancy.
  • 44% did not speak to anyone before deciding to have a baby
  • Participants shared that they often rely on family, social media, or online forums like Netmums for information. Many had not spoken to a healthcare professional before becoming pregnant, and most lifestyle changes (e.g. taking folic acid or adjusting diet) were made only after pregnancy began

“It is easier to get information in person, but everything is online.”- Project participant

  • The project also uncovered emotional and cultural complexities. For some, pregnancy planning involved confronting past trauma, such as baby loss or infertility. Others described the influence of elders, religious beliefs, and cultural expectations on their decisions
  • The project highlighted the need for culturally sensitive, accessible, and inclusive resources both online but also face to face information. Participants expressed a strong preference for information in everyday settings-like gyms, supermarkets, public transport, and community centres and in formats that reflect their language and cultural needs
  • Men felt excluded from the conversation. Sessions with the Future Dads group at Lewisham Hospital revealed a strong appetite for information on fertility, healthy sperm, mental health, and parental rights. Many suggested replacing the term “preconception” with “fertility” to make the concept more relatable

“It is important to respect elders and the advice they give you. Information needs to be shared with men in the places they regularly go – like gyms and work.”- Project participant

  • Participants also expressed a desire for more realistic information about the financial realities of parenthood, mental health, and the impact on relationships. Many felt antenatal classes were inaccessible due to language barriers or inconvenient scheduling

How the insights informed our work?

The insights gathered have directly shaped the SEL LMNS preconception campaign, delivered in partnership with Tommy’s. The campaign has already reached over 871,000 people across Southeast London, with nearly 2,000 completions of Tommy’s personalised planning tool. It includes:

  • Translated posters and flyers distributed across children’s centres and community venues including hairdressers and barber shops
  • Targeted digital ads and social media outreach.
  • A second phase featuring healthcare-led videos on folic acid, vitamin D, mental health, and healthy lifestyles

In addition, SEL LMNS has hosted a series of webinars to raise awareness and build capacity among community ambassadors, and voluntary sector partners. These sessions have included:

  • A virtual webinar on 23 May 2025 featuring presentations from SEL LMNS, Local Government East, and Tommy’s.
  • Training for community ambassadors in boroughs like Southwark, Lambeth and Greenwich
  • Presentations at Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership meetings, including a session on 27 February 2025 with service users and maternity staff.
  • Ongoing collaboration with the Women and Girls’ Health Hub to embed preconception messaging into broader public health strategies.

How can you get involved?

If you or your organisation would like to help raise awareness of preconception health, translated posters and flyers are available in multiple languages. These can be displayed in community spaces, clinics, schools, gyms, or anywhere people gather.

To request materials, please email: LocalMaternityandNeonatalSystem@selondonics.nhs.uk

Page last updated: 21 Jul 2025, 04:41 PM