Malwela, T.Maputle, M. S.Raliphaswa, N. S.Ndou, Ntombizodwa Paulinah2026-01-242026-01-242025-09-05Ndou, N.P. 2025. Development of Strategies for Implementation of Preconception Care: A Tool to Improve Perinatal Outcomes in Selected Districts of Limpopo Province. . .https://univendspace.univen.ac.za/handle/11602/3109DNPDepartment of Advanced Nursing SciencePreconception care (PCC) is the provision of biomedical, behavioural, and social health interventions to women and couples before they fall pregnant. The purpose of PCC is to lessen factors leading to maternal conditions; thus, reducing maternal and perinatal mortality rates. PCC focuses on the following elements: nutrition, vaccines for preventable diseases, treatment of chronic and infectious diseases, genetic counselling, prevention of too early or unwanted and rapid successive pregnancies, infertility, mental health, human immunodeficiency syndrome, and prevention of tobacco and psychoactive substance use. There is evidence that provision of PCC can improve maternal health and perinatal outcomes. The implementation of PCC can assist in promoting positive perinatal outcomes; thus, a reduction in maternal and perinatal mortality. PCC have been successfully implemented in high income countries like China and Netherlands, while countries like UK are still struggling to get it established, though they have PCC policies and guidelines. The purpose of the study was to develop strategies for implementing PCC recommendations to improve perinatal outcomes in selected districts of the Limpopo Province. An exploratory sequential mixed method approach was utilized, wherein the researcher employed the qualitative and quantitative research techniques, methods, approaches, and concepts in a single study. Participants for the qualitative study were professional nurses who have worked at the clinics and community health centers (CHCs) in the selected districts of the Limpopo Province for a period of three years or more, and women of childbearing age (WCBA) aged 19-35 years visiting clinics and CHCs. Both groups of participants were purposively sampled. The study was conceptualized within Pender’s Health Promotion Model (HPM) and was conducted in three phases. In phase one, qualitative data were collected from 29 professional nurses working at clinics and CHCs through in-depth interviews and 51 WCBA through eight focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis. The qualitative results guided the development of an instrument to collect data quantitatively in phase two. Participants in phase three were 180 professional nurses selected through simple random sampling, and a questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data. SPSS version 25 was employed to analyze quantitative data. The inclusion criteria for professional nurses required that they had worked at a clinic or CHC for three or more years and for the WCBA to be 19-35 years old and utilizing those clinics or CHCs. Ethical research principles and measures of trustworthiness were adhered to. Reliability and validity were also ensured. Findings: The qualitative findings revealed the partial implementation of PCC, knowledge gap, task shifting among professional nurses, lack of awareness about preconception, good perception of preconception, lack of support from spouse, fear of knowing about HIV status, and cultural practices surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. The quantitative results revealed that professional nurses knew some PCC aspects, though inadequate, had a good perception of the role of PCC in improving maternal health, and had a positive attitude towards PCC. This study followed the Chartered Management Institute steps of strategy development modified from Hunt’s strategy development model during the development of the strategy in Phase 3 stage 2. The following are some of the strategies that were developed: Increase the number of professional nurses in clinics and CHCs so that they can be able to cope with the workload. Capacity building of professional nurses working at the clinics and CHCs regarding PCC recommendations, empowering of the lower categories of nurses with PCC-related information in order to help professional nurses with health education, training of Mother mentors should also be empowered with PCC-related information Managers to monitor the implementation of PCC recommendations, community awareness regarding PCC and addressing cultural issues with respect and sensitivity. The developed strategies were validated using the Delphi technique. Conclusion: There is a partial implementation of the preconception recommendations in the districts selected related to the knowledge gap and lack of awareness by WCBA. Both professional nurses and WCBA perceived preconception as a valuable service in improving maternal health before conception, hence, positive pregnancy outcomes. Recommendations: The study has proposed the following recommendations: Empowering professional nurses with PCC recommendations to enhance implementation and raising awareness of PCC among WCBA and the community at large to enhance the implementation of the PCC recommendations.1 online resource (xvii, 323 leaves): color illustrationsenUniversity of VendaPerinatal outcomePreconception careStrategyThesisNdou NP. Development of Strategies for Implementation of Preconception Care: A Tool to Improve Perinatal Outcomes in Selected Districts of Limpopo Province. []. , 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from:Ndou, N. P. (2025). <i>Development of Strategies for Implementation of Preconception Care: A Tool to Improve Perinatal Outcomes in Selected Districts of Limpopo Province</i>. (). . Retrieved fromNdou, Ntombizodwa Paulinah. <i>"Development of Strategies for Implementation of Preconception Care: A Tool to Improve Perinatal Outcomes in Selected Districts of Limpopo Province."</i> ., , 2025.TY - Thesis AU - Ndou, Ntombizodwa Paulinah AB - Preconception care (PCC) is the provision of biomedical, behavioural, and social health interventions to women and couples before they fall pregnant. The purpose of PCC is to lessen factors leading to maternal conditions; thus, reducing maternal and perinatal mortality rates. PCC focuses on the following elements: nutrition, vaccines for preventable diseases, treatment of chronic and infectious diseases, genetic counselling, prevention of too early or unwanted and rapid successive pregnancies, infertility, mental health, human immunodeficiency syndrome, and prevention of tobacco and psychoactive substance use. There is evidence that provision of PCC can improve maternal health and perinatal outcomes. The implementation of PCC can assist in promoting positive perinatal outcomes; thus, a reduction in maternal and perinatal mortality. PCC have been successfully implemented in high income countries like China and Netherlands, while countries like UK are still struggling to get it established, though they have PCC policies and guidelines. The purpose of the study was to develop strategies for implementing PCC recommendations to improve perinatal outcomes in selected districts of the Limpopo Province. An exploratory sequential mixed method approach was utilized, wherein the researcher employed the qualitative and quantitative research techniques, methods, approaches, and concepts in a single study. Participants for the qualitative study were professional nurses who have worked at the clinics and community health centers (CHCs) in the selected districts of the Limpopo Province for a period of three years or more, and women of childbearing age (WCBA) aged 19-35 years visiting clinics and CHCs. Both groups of participants were purposively sampled. The study was conceptualized within Pender’s Health Promotion Model (HPM) and was conducted in three phases. In phase one, qualitative data were collected from 29 professional nurses working at clinics and CHCs through in-depth interviews and 51 WCBA through eight focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis. The qualitative results guided the development of an instrument to collect data quantitatively in phase two. Participants in phase three were 180 professional nurses selected through simple random sampling, and a questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data. SPSS version 25 was employed to analyze quantitative data. The inclusion criteria for professional nurses required that they had worked at a clinic or CHC for three or more years and for the WCBA to be 19-35 years old and utilizing those clinics or CHCs. Ethical research principles and measures of trustworthiness were adhered to. Reliability and validity were also ensured. Findings: The qualitative findings revealed the partial implementation of PCC, knowledge gap, task shifting among professional nurses, lack of awareness about preconception, good perception of preconception, lack of support from spouse, fear of knowing about HIV status, and cultural practices surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. The quantitative results revealed that professional nurses knew some PCC aspects, though inadequate, had a good perception of the role of PCC in improving maternal health, and had a positive attitude towards PCC. This study followed the Chartered Management Institute steps of strategy development modified from Hunt’s strategy development model during the development of the strategy in Phase 3 stage 2. The following are some of the strategies that were developed: Increase the number of professional nurses in clinics and CHCs so that they can be able to cope with the workload. Capacity building of professional nurses working at the clinics and CHCs regarding PCC recommendations, empowering of the lower categories of nurses with PCC-related information in order to help professional nurses with health education, training of Mother mentors should also be empowered with PCC-related information Managers to monitor the implementation of PCC recommendations, community awareness regarding PCC and addressing cultural issues with respect and sensitivity. The developed strategies were validated using the Delphi technique. Conclusion: There is a partial implementation of the preconception recommendations in the districts selected related to the knowledge gap and lack of awareness by WCBA. Both professional nurses and WCBA perceived preconception as a valuable service in improving maternal health before conception, hence, positive pregnancy outcomes. Recommendations: The study has proposed the following recommendations: Empowering professional nurses with PCC recommendations to enhance implementation and raising awareness of PCC among WCBA and the community at large to enhance the implementation of the PCC recommendations. DA - 2025-09-05 DB - ResearchSpace DP - Univen KW - Perinatal outcome KW - Preconception care KW - Strategy LK - https://univendspace.univen.ac.za PY - 2025 T1 - Development of Strategies for Implementation of Preconception Care: A Tool to Improve Perinatal Outcomes in Selected Districts of Limpopo Province TI - Development of Strategies for Implementation of Preconception Care: A Tool to Improve Perinatal Outcomes in Selected Districts of Limpopo Province UR - ER -