Predicting the Intention to Preconception Care on the Basis of Planning Behavior Theory in Women Referred to the Marriage Counseling Centers in Asadabad in 2015

Background and Objective: Maternal health is one of the main factors influencing pregnancy outcomes. Women at childbearing age with poor health are at higher risks. In this context, preconception planning and receiving care services are of great importance for early identification and diagnosis of risk factors for pregnancy. The present study assessed the theoretical structures of planned behavior for the intention of preconception care. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was performed on 200 women selected using a simple random sampling method in Asadabad, located in the west of Iran, in 2015. The tool used for collecting data was a researcher-made questionnaire containing the theoretical construct of planning behavior. It included the constructs of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavior control, and behavioral and functional intentions. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were examined before conducting the research. SPSS 16 using multiple logistic regression and Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to analyze data. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the knowledge were 6.39 ± 3.31, attitude (37.37 ± 4.21), subjective norms (21.12 ± 3.25), perceived behavior control (9.6 ± 2.23), and behavioral intention (26.7 ± 4.06). There was a direct and significant correlation between the construct of subjective norms and intention (p=0.039, r=0.146). The construct of attitude and subjective norms were the most important predictor variables of changes in women's intention of preconception care. Moreover, no statistically significant relationship was observed between intention and the person's age, spouse's education, the person's occupation, and women's education (p>0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, it is suggested to emphasize creating positive attitudes and subjective norms while designing educational interventions in order to increase the coverage of preconception care.