New Preconception Health Campaign

The North Carolina Folic Acid Campaign will add new health messages

Over the past year, members of the North Carolina Folic Acid Campaign Executive Committee have laid the groundwork to expand our focus to include other preconception health messages. Preconception health addresses a woman’s health prior to conception and aims to reduce her health risks in order to improve the health of her future children. Folic acid is just one piece of the preconception health puzzle. Other important factors include pregnancy intendedness, healthy weight, chronic diseases, substance abuse, mental health, and many more.

Preconception health is becoming a national and statewide priority as more evidence suggests that a woman’s health prior to conception is directly linked to birth outcomes. The Folic Acid Campaign has become increasingly involved with state preconception health efforts by collaborating with other agencies and organizations to create the North Carolina Preconception Health Strategic Plan. In addition, the Folic Acid Campaign has participated in and/or presented at several national preconception health meetings and conferences.

During this time, it became clear to us that the Folic Acid Campaign has the infrastructure and the reputation to add more preconception health messages to our current work. A committee was formed to choose new messages and target audiences, develop a strategic plan, and identify potential funding sources. The group met several times over the course of a year and in September presented its proposal to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee unanimously voted to move forward with the plan.

The new goals of the campaign are to reduce infant mortality, birth defects, premature birth, and chronic health conditions in women, while also aiming to increase intended pregnancies in North Carolina. To do this we must improve women’s wellness, improve reproductive outcomes, and reduce health disparities. Because overweight/obesity impact so many health outcomes, the committee decided to focus its initial efforts on promoting healthy weight for women.

Over half of North Carolina women are overweight or obese. Overweight/obesity is linked to negative health conditions for both the mother and her future child. While there are many programs in the state as well as nationally that address healthy weight, very few of them actually focus on women of reproductive age. The campaign believes that our experience reaching women in this group, as well as those who influence them, will give us the experience needed to launch this new campaign.

Over the coming year you may see name changes, new programs and different approaches. But don’t worry; we are still keeping our folic acid message! However, we would like to invite you to become a part of our new efforts. Please contact us if you have any questions, comments or concerns, by contacting Amy Mullenix at 919-424-2158 or amullenix@marchofdimes.com.