Pre-Pregnancy Whole-Person Care Program

Infertility and fertility challenges are on the rise, affecting 11% of women of reproductive age in the United States. These challenges place immense emotional and physical stress on families. However, it’s about more than just getting pregnant — it’s about creating a foundation for healthy pregnancies, improved maternal health outcomes, and thriving children for future generations to come

Women of reproductive age experience high rates of nutritional deficiencies like anemia and mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression. These conditions impact fertility, pregnancy success, and fetal development. Furthermore, one in five live births result in an adverse pregnancy outcome which not only increases the risk for maternal mortality and chronic disease in her lifetime but also influences child health and disease risk. Preventative measures that can effectively improve women’s physical and mental health before conception are urgently needed.

We can make a difference through the Pre-Pregnancy Whole-Person Care Program, which offers low-cost preconception integrative health services to women and their partners through naturopathic care, comprehensive lab testing, behavior change coaching, culinary nutritional education, mindfulness training, and acupuncture. This whole-person, mind-body approach can improve conception success, reduce pregnancy complications, and support healthier outcomes for women and children.

Our vision is to expand this program, making it accessible to all women who wish to conceive, creating a model for pre-pregnancy care that can be adapted at other sites nationally. Through this program, we can address the growing need for preconception support, improving individual lives and public health outcomes. By addressing these challenges before they begin, we can pave the way for healthier families and stronger communities.

The Pre-Pregnancy Whole-Person Care Program is supported by a generous gift from the Theresa and Richard Beauchamp family. The program is led by Lilian Au, ND, MPH, naturopathic doctor at the Samueli Institute, and Karen Lindsay, PhD, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and Early-Career Samueli Endowed Chair for Integrative Health at the Samueli Institute.

During recruitment for wave 1, the program received unprecedented interest, with nearly 100 interest forms being submitted within just five days of its announcement.

Ten women who were planning a pregnancy in the next year joined the first cohort. They received three individual appointments with Au to discuss fundamental aspects of health, centered around physical, mental and emotional well-being. This included comprehensive, diagnostic lab tests to monitor hormones and stress levels, as well as assess any nutritional deficiencies. Participants also received four nutritional education classes with Lindsay and a culinary educator to learn how to optimize their diet for a healthy pregnancy. Topics included healthy carbs and proteins to balance blood sugar, whole foods to optimize micronutrient status, fiber to feed the gut microbiome, and healthy fats to fuel fertility. Participants even learned to cook healthy and delicious recipes. Additionally, the program included an eight-week mindful self-compassion program that emphasizes self-kindness to promote emotional resilience.

Our goal is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and early health benefits of this whole-person, pre-pregnancy intervention. Based on participants’ feedback, the program will identify the most desired and potentially effective integrative health services to address pre-conception care needs.

We are pleased to announce a new wave of our program will begin in Spring 2025, thanks to the continued support from the Beauchamp family. We have extended the program duration to six months and added adjunct services, including individualized nutrition counseling, health coaching, fitness classes, and acupuncture. This is a wonderful opportunity to advance the health of future generations!

“We are thrilled to support the new Pre-Pregnancy Whole Person Care Program at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. The overwhelming interest in this program demonstrates a clear demand and desire for comprehensive pre-conception care in our community,” said Theresa and Richard Beauchamp.

“We deeply admire Dr. Lindsay and Dr. Au’s dedication to improving maternal and children’s health through their innovative research and integrative approaches. Our family hopes that this program will not only provide essential care to families but also contribute to the growing evidence base for integrative health approaches. By offering naturopathic care, nutrition counseling, mindfulness, and other supportive services, we believe this program can help families achieve successful conceptions and foster health outcomes that span generations. We are excited to see the impact this pilot program will have and look forward to its expansion to serve even more families in the future with further philanthropic support.”

Please contact the team at LindsayLab@hs.uci.edu to inquire about participating in the program.