Barriers and facilitators to attending pre‐pregnancy care services: the ATLANTIC‐DIP experience

Women with diabetes need support and reassurance about their ability to control blood glucose and have a successful pregnancy while coping with the multiple challenges inherent in diabetes management and pregnancy. To increase uptake of pre-pregnancy care, a norm needs to be established that situates pre-pregnancy care as something every woman with diabetes will do, whether or not she is actively contemplating becoming a mother at the time. Active use of social media and facilitating peer support should be encouraged in pre-pregnancy services to facilitate attendance. The time has come to incorporate the skills of a clinical psychologist in the delivery of a pre-pregnancy service.