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“Do you want to become pregnant in the next year?”

This simple question will help Australians of reproductive age get preconception health advice at the right time. By asking your patients this question, you can:

  • Help prevent unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
  • Inform patients about the importance of a preconception health assessment.
  • Improve the chance of conception and a healthy pregnancy and child.
GPs and nurses can potentially play a critical part in expanding women’s and men’s access to preconception health

How to incorporate the question into practice

This diagram can help GPs and primary care nurses provide timely information in response to their patients’ answers.

Examples in practice

Here are some examples of GPs asking patients about their pregnancy plans and responding to their patients’ answers

GP with a male patient not wanting a baby anytime soon

Dr Bahman Mansourzadeh talks with a male patient who has come in for an STI screening test and is not interested in starting a family in the next few years.

GP with a female patient wanting a baby in the near future

Dr Bahman Mansourzadeh talks with a female patient who has come in for a routine cervical screening test and is interested in starting a family in the next year.

GP with a male patient wanting a baby in the near future

Dr Magda Simonis talks with a male patient who has come in for a general health check and is interested in starting a family in the near future.

GP with a female patient not wanting a baby in the near future

Dr Magda Simonis talks with a female patient who has come in to have her diabetes medication reviewed and is not interested in starting a family in the near future.

Useful resources

  • References and acknowledgements
    • Dorney E, Black KI. Preconception care. Aust J Gen Pract. 2018 Jul;47(7):424-429. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-02-18-4485. PMID: 30114868
    • Bellanca HK, Hunter MS. ONE KEY QUESTION®:Preventive reproductive health is part of high quality primary care. Contraception 2013;88(1):3–6. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2013.05.003.

Looking for more?

Health professional fact sheets

These fertility fact sheets for health professionals have been developed by the Fertility Coalition in association with the Fertility Society of Australia’s Pre-conception Special Interest Group.

Fact sheets for patients

View and download our great range of resources to give to your patients.