Preconception health – improving outcomes for families and babies
Pre-conception health is an important contributor to maternal and neonatal health but more needs to be done to educate and support people to plan for a healthier pregnancy, birth and beyond. We, therefore, started a project with priorities to:
- learn more about the needs of south east London (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 an information campaign
Listening to people with lived experience
During 2024- 2025 we engaged with people with lived experience. This included 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.
How the insights informed our work?
These insights directly shaped our preconception health campaign in 2025, delivered in partnership with Tommy’s Baby Charity. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of preconception health and encourage residents to plan their pregnancies using Tommy’s Pregnancy Planning Tool. This tool provides personalised advice on pre-conception health topics, including the use of folic acid and Vitamin D. The campaign included:
- Translated posters and flyers distributed across children’s centres and community venues including hairdressers and barber shops.
- Targeted digital and social media advertising.
In addition, we hosted a series of webinars to raise awareness and build capacity among community ambassadors, and voluntary sector partners.
Results of the campaign (2025):
- 3,604 tool completions for Tommy’s Planning for Pregnancy tool, with over 550,000 people reached through digital and influencer activity.
- Hyper‑local outreach in 75+ trusted community locations, plus translated materials to widen access.
- 130+ residents engaged at community events (including young adults, migrants, and fathers‑to‑be).
- Equity impact: increased engagement among Black and Black Mixed‑Heritage users and people in the most deprived areas.
- User feedback: most users found the tool helpful, confidence‑building and supportive of wellbeing; behaviours around folic acid and vitamin D were encouraging, with younger age groups identified for further targeted support.
To follow this up, in early 2026, we launched a digital campaign to continue to raise awareness of preconception health and provide information about local services. The campaign is running across Google Display Network, Google Search, Meta and YouTube until the end of June 2026. It features content from healthcare professionals and service users including mum Lisa, who shares her advice for planning a baby when managing your mental health.
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
Thinking about getting pregnant?
Get practical, local information about pre-conception services in South East London at Plan for Baby.
The South East London Local Maternity and Neonatal System
South East London Local Maternity and Neonatal System (SEL LMNS) is a partnership of people working to improve maternity and neonatal services.
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.
