Full circle: the evolution of preconception health promotion in America.

Preconception health promotion encourages and enables a woman to actively plan pregnancy, enter pregnancy in good health with as few risk factors as possible, and be informed about her general and reproductive health before conception. Nurses have provided this holistic health care since the early 1900s. In succeeding decades, various components of and methods for promoting preconception health have been discovered and emphasized. Embracing preconception health promotion as wellness for life brings us full circle.