Results of the project

Results of the PreconNet project

The main results of the project are:

Preconception health and care model for education (PCHC-model – a honeycomb model). The model is based on the latest research and evidence based knowledge. The model is translated to different languages and can be found, on this platform, here.
Preconception Health and Care Community of best practices (PCHC-Community). These pages (preco.tamk.fi) are developed for the entire PCHC-community and are an open platform of best practices.
Digital teaching and learning tools for PCHC (PCHC-tools) are translated to different languages and can be found, on this platform, here.

PCHC Handbook

This book is an independent output of the project, involving
all project experts and people who volunteered in the project. The purpose of this handbook is to act as a tool and strengthener for preconception health and care learning and teaching. It also justifies the different tools here in our digital learning and teaching platform.

This handbook can be used e.g. in nurse and midwife education to promote preconception health and care. The book may be used and shared freely!

Articles in scientific and national professional journals (Team Finland)

Botha, E. Mettälä, M. Äimälä, AM. & Tuomi, J. (2021) Raskautta edeltävä terveys ja ohjauksen työkalut. Kätilölehti. (Midwife -journal)
Mettälä, M. Äimälä, AM. Botha, E. & Tuomi, J. (2021) Kätilökoulutuksella seksuaali- ja lisääntymisterveyden asiantuntijaksi – PreconNet-hanke kehittää eurooppalaisia opetussuunnitelmia. Kätilölehti. (Midwife -journal)
Tuomi, J. Botha, E., Mettälä, M. & Äimälä, A-M. (2021) Hedelmällisyyden suojelu eri elämänvaiheissa. Terveydenhoitaja, in press. (Public Health Nurse -journal)
Tuomi, J., Mettälä, M. & Äimälä, A-M. (2021) Onko opiskelijoita hankalaa saada TKI-hankkeisiin? TAMKjournal, 23.2.2021. https://tamkjournal.tamk.fi/onko-opiskelijoita-hankalaa-saada-tki-hankkeisiin/
Tuomi, J. (2020) Elämänkulku ja terveys –ajattelussa sairaudet ja terveys muokkautuvat ylisukupolvisesti. Terveydenhoitaja, 2020:2, s. 22 – 23. (Public Health Nurse -journal)
Tuomi, J. (2019) Hyvä seksuaali- ja lisääntymisterveys suojaa sukupolvien yli. Neuvola ja kouluterveys. 2019:4, s. 7 – 8. (Journal for Public Health Nurses in maternity clinics and schools) URL: https://issuu.com/lapsi2000ry/docs/nek1904_issuu

Articles in scientific and national professional journals (Team Slovenia)

MIVŠEK, Ana Polona, ŽVANUT, Boštjan, PROSEN, Mirko, PUCER, Patrik, PETROČNIK, Petra. Ohranjanje plodnosti. Utrip : informativni bilten Zbornice zdravstvene nege Slovenije. [Tiskana izd.]. 2020, letn. 28, št. 4, str. 66-68, ilustr. ISSN 1318-5470. [COBISS.SI-ID 18446339]
ŽVANUT, Boštjan, PUCER, Patrik, MIVŠEK, Ana Polona, PETROČNIK, Petra, PROSEN, Mirko. Projekt PreconNet : pomoću obrazovanja do reproduktivnog zdravlja mladih. Primaljski vjesnik. 2020, br.27/28, str. 10-11, ilustr. ISSN 1848-5863. [COBISS.SI-ID 18440195]
MIVŠEK, Ana Polona, ROGAN, Nuša, PETROČNIK, Petra. From wish to familiy : stressing a preconception period in a curriculum as an important part of midwifery scope of practice. V: DARMANN-FINCK, Ingrid (ur.), REIBER, Karin (ur.). Development, implementation and evaluation of curricula in nursing and midwifery education. Cham: Springer, 2021. Str. 3-13, ilustr. ISBN 978-3-030-78180-4. [COBISS.SI-ID 76057347]
PETROČNIK, Petra, MIVŠEK, Ana Polona, ŽVANUT, Boštjan, PUCER, Patrik, PROSEN, Mirko. Preconception health in the current society : the PreconNet project. European journal of midwifery. Feb. 2021, vol. 5, str. 1-2. ISSN 2585-2906. http://www.europeanjournalofmidwifery.eu/Preconception-health-in-current-society-The-PreconNet-project,132714,0,2.html, DOI: 10.18332/ejm/132714. [COBISS.SI-ID 53571843]
PROSEN, Mirko, ŽVANUT, Boštjan, PUCER, Patrik, MIVŠEK, Ana Polona, PETROČNIK, Petra, & TUOMI, Jouni. (2021). The importance of physical activity in improving preconception health. Kontakt, 23(4), 247-255. DOI: 10.32725/kont.2021.051., Pucer, P., Mivšek, A.P., Petročnik, P., & Tuomi, J. (2021). The importance of physical activity in improving preconception health. Kontakt, 23(4), 247-255. DOI: 10.32725/kont.2021.051

Project influence on curricula in partner universities (TAMK)

The PreconNet-project promised to develop all the necessary information and training for health professionals to be equipped for adequate counseling.

PreconNet also promised to empower health professionals to execute quality guidance and preparedness to guide fertility awerness to those who decide to postpone the parenthood.

This project has enabled the PCHC-model to be integrated into partner universities’ curriculum content. Preconception health and care elements have been integrated into nurse and midwife courses. Here are some examples. Click on picture for a PDF.

In TAMKs’ Degree program of Midwifery we have included the issues of preconception health into 11 different subjects (tot. ECT 28).

Project influence on curricula in partner universities (Ljubljana)

Several activities of the PreconNet project have been presented or even involved active participation of student nurses and student midwives. Students were involved in our conferences where they gained knowledge and information on preconception health and care. Especially student midwives from the University of Ljubljana showed a lot of interest in the field of preconception. Due to their increased interest into this topic, students started independently selecting a range of topics from preconception health for their dissertations. We find this as a really good example of how we arouse interest in students for this outstandingly important topic.

Project influence on curricula in partner universities (Belgium)

As VIVES University of Applied Sciences we follow the learning outcomes framework in nursing and midwife education (EQF 6) of the Flemish government. The descriptions of three midwifery learning outcomes (i.e. physiology care & guidance, risk detection & selection and health promotion) mention preconception health and care literally.

The student performs autonomously performs a preconception consultation.
The student evaluates every situation and autonomously diagnoses potential risks and/or complications in terms of preconception, fertility, obstetrics, neonatology and gynaecology.
The student raises awareness among young people about the prevention of their reproductive health; informs about fertility, sexuality, relationship building and preconceptional care.

As contents we deepen our students in themes such as preconception, sexual and reproductive health promotion (e.g. health life style, infectious diseases, hormone disrupting substances, sexual behavior, contraception, signs of good fertility, family planning).

Our Erasmus + project PreconNet was presented to our Midwifery students starting from 2019. On
the online learning platform students can inform themselves on the project and preconception in
general.

4Steps for healthy babies, healthy families, healthy nations 2019-2022

The 4Steps project developes full scope midwifery and continuum of midwifery care during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and newborn care. Healthy nations are built by encouraging professionals to practice women and family centered care. This will empower the woman to become a key role player in society.

Clicking on the picture, you can have a closer look at this sister project of PreconNet!